


Running Wild

by Nadja_Lee



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blackmail, Brotherhood, Child Abuse, Drug Use, Gen, Homelessness, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Murder, Protective Siblings, Remy & Scott & Alex are brothers, Sacrifice, Sex Work, Sexual Assault, Thieves Guild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-06-26
Updated: 2001-06-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:42:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22935775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee
Summary: AU on the Ultimate X-men comics. Scott, Alex and Remy are brothers. Through darkness and trials the brothers fight to stay together but will they succeed in finding a better life when the Thieves Guild and dark secrets stands in their way?
Relationships: Alex Summers & Scott Summers, Remy LeBeau & Scott Summers
Kudos: 18





	1. Educating Alex/Don't Buy Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott talks with Alex and thinks about his past. then Scott and Remy have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to: Misty and L. Burke. Thanks for your kindness and friendship.
> 
> Thanks to Christina and Estelle Summers for the Beta.
> 
> *mmmm * is telepathically thoughts spoken in the mind. " mmmmm " is spoken out loud.

**Preface: Educating Alex**

"Scott, can you help me with this?" Alex asked his brother as Scott came into the small kitchen where Alex sat, his schoolbooks on the table. Scott checked the clock to be sure Alex wasn't skipping classes; almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon he read. He would have to go out and buy some groceries for dinner soon, Scott thought.

" Depends on what it is," Scott said and took a piece of bread from the kitchen table. Scott leaned over Alex's shoulder to read what he was writing. It was some mathematic figures.

" This one...what is it?" Alex asked and pointed to one of the figures. Scott pulled his morning robe closer around his body and ran a hand through his still wet hair from his bath. No matter how often he bathed he still felt dirty.

" It is 3766," Scott said, his eyes having barely run over the problem. Alex wrote it down.

" You can do that every time. How do you do it?" Alex asked, still surprised after having seen Scott do it multiple times.

" I have no idea," Scott admitted with a smile and rubbed Alex's golden hair.

" Hey, watch it. You are ruining my hair," Alex complained with a grin. Scott laughed and went to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of orange juice.

" Where is Remy?" Alex asked as he put the mathematics away and opened a new book.

" Out," Scott simply answered and seated himself next to Alex.

He knew that Alex was getting too old to settle for that answer but what should he say? The truth? Remy is out picking pockets so you can eat and keep having a roof over your head? No, the truth was definitely out of the question. A lie? Though he wasn't a bad liar, it lay in his job to lie in every way, but Remy still did it much better. He remembered when Alex was younger and had heard noises from the other room Remy had sat by his bedside and told him tales, lies, about how it was giants fighting or angels punishing sinners. Scott grinned a little at that. Remy and his beliefs; stealing and even killing were all right...for some things and in certain ways. And then, of course **,** in church every Sunday to get forgiveness for it. Not that Remy had killed anyone…yet. Remy felt, as did Scott, that to protect Alex, to protect both his brothers, anything goes. Scott never went to church though but he made Remy take Alex. The catholic thing was probably something from his father, or so their mother had said. When she had spoken of their fathers, she had remembered Scott's father with fondness, he had been a pilot; a kind and gentle man, she had said. Probably married too as Scott had never met him. Remy's father had been wild, French, young and, yes, catholic. And he just happened to be the leader of the Thieves Guild in New Orleans, pulling Remy and them all into a world of trouble. He wasn't jealous that Remy's father acknowledged him. Okay, he was. Very much so. Jean Luc may not be a wonderful dad, being a thief and all, but at least he existed, he was there and he was real. Their mother had refused to talk about Alex's father. It was now 4 years since she had died and he sometimes felt like he was forgetting her more and more. Elizabeth had been 22 when she had gotten Scott. Scott had never called her mom nor had Remy and Alex but always Elizabeth because Scott called her that. Elizabeth was her given name and her children had been the only ones to use it, not Betsy, babe, doll and sweetheart or even worse; whore or other names. No, Elizabeth, she had liked that so Scott had used that name for her. Scott remembered the first years with his mother to be good times; she had been a mild and sweet woman. Two more children and 12 years later she had died an old woman in everything but years.

" Yeah, I kinda guessed that," Alex said as he began reading. Scott leaned over to see what he was reading. He wished he could read better. Elizabeth had taught him a little but she hadn't had much time. Mostly she had just told of books she had read. She must once have lived better than this; Scott had always been sure of that. Not only because of his mother's very English accent but also because of the little things she did or didn't do; drugs was something she had never used though it was common here, she had never complained over her fate or the beatings she had received through the years. But in the end even she had been worn down by this life. They said she had died from AIDS, Scott knew she had faded away.

" He's... at work," Scott finally lied. Both Scott and Remy had left school when their mother had died to get enough money to survive. Sure, according to some or another papers Jack was their legal guardian...or rather the legal guardian of Alex and him since Jean Luc had acknowledged Remy. Jean Luc let Remy stay with Scott and Alex and was mostly too busy with his own affairs to think much about him. Jack had been Elizabeth's "man" at the time of her death so he had been given custody of Scott and Alex, not that Jack liked children, in fact he hated children, but he did like the monthly check. Jack was a violent man, especially when he had been drinking which he did a lot. Fortunately, Jack had only been around for some 10 months after Elizabeth's death and had then disappeared. Scott was pretty sure the mob had killed him over some outstanding debts. But Jack was still useful for one thing; he kept Remy, Alex and Scott together. Scott knew that if someone should find out Jack was gone, Alex would be taken from them and neither Remy nor himself would allow that to happen. All he cared for was to keep his family, his brothers, safe, no matter the cost.

" Like you was last night?" Alex asked with the innocence of a child. Scott smiled a bittersweet smile.

" Yeah, like I was last night," Scott said softly and drank his juice. " Finish your homework. You have a lot to learn."

**Part 1: Don't Buy Me**

" Where are you going?"

Remy turned around, his black duster flowing around him. The always present cigarette was in his hand and his dark shades hid his eyes in the already dark staircase.

" Out, bro. Out."

Scott walked the rest of the stairs to him and the two brothers stood face to face. Though it was late, almost 2 o'clock, Scott wore a tight black t-shirt and tight blue cowboy pants that did his legs and ass every right.

" I thought you said you wouldn't go up against Lopez?"

" Yeah, well…this time it's personal."

" Remy, everything is bloody personal with you," Scott said irritated.

" Keep your voice down or you'll wake Alex," Remy hissed.

" I forbid you to see this guy! He may kill you," Scott said sharply. Remy removed his shades and looked his brother in the eyes.

" Since mom died you have done your best to keep the three of us together and safe. You are my big brother and I normally listen to you but not tonight. This is something I have to do," his voice wasn't pleading; it held a strong edge of steel which wasn't to miss.

" Is there anything I can do to make you stay, bro?" Scott asked softly. Remy shook his head.

" No."

Remy reached inside his pocket and took out a bundle of bills and handed them to Scott. He didn't take them.

" What? What am I to do with those?" Scott nodded almost disgusted to the bills.

" It's for you and Alex. In case…well, you know. Here, take them," Remy again tried to put the bills into Scott's hands. Scott tore the bills from Remy's hand and threw them on the floor. He reached out and took hold of Remy's coat and forced him closer.

" Don't you EVER try to buy me. Ever," Scott's voice was low and dangerous and Remy knew he was in deep waters.

" Hey, relax. I didn't mean…" Remy began.

" I'm not for sale. Not now, not ever. I have done all the selling of everything I've got that I ever will. Never again. Ever. Do you understand?" His voice was low and Remy feared he wasn't seeing him at all, wasn't even talking to him but someone else, maybe many somebodies.

" I've got it. Cool it," Remy finally succeeded in pulling free from Scott. He picked up the bills and put them back into his pocket. With a shake of his head Remy walked all the way down the stairs. Okay, that brother of his needed some serious psychological help, Remy thought darkly.

" Remy?" Scott's voice came from the top of the stairs. Remy turned around, halfway through the front door.

"Oui mon frêre _[Yes, brother]_?"

Scott stood almost at the top of the stairs, half hidden in shadows and Remy thought it suited him. All what he had done, for Alex and for him, to keep them alive, to keep them from doing things he knew they'll be forced to sooner or later, was written in the shadows around him.

" Reviens vivant mon frêre, reviens vivant _[Come back alive, my brother. Come back alive]_ ," Scott said softly. Remy flashed him a brilliant smile, but it was a false smile, a smile someone gives when they have always had far too little to smile about.

"Toujours, mon frêre, toujours _[Always, brother. Always]_."

And with that Remy was gone. Scott looked after him for a long while before forcing himself to return to the bedroom and the person who was waiting for him. In that instant he felt very old and prayed that he and Remy could keep Alex pure and innocent in mind, body and spirit just for a few years more. If they could…. it had surely been worth it. Worth the pain, the hurt, the humiliation, worth the beatings and the pleading, the tears and the darkness. If just one of them pulled through…. It was worth it. It had to be…..At least he had to believe so as he opened the door to the bedroom and the man inside reached for him. Scott closed his eyes. It was worth it for Alex. It was worth it…Wasn't it?


	2. Going Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy and Scott have a big problem….a dead guy in the bedroom.

**Going Nowhere**

When Remy walked up the stairs to the apartment it was dark outside. He was actually glad that it was so late because then he couldn't see the missing paint on the walls or the garbage lying in the corners. He played absentminded with some playing cards in his hands while he thought about the credit cards and cash in his pocket. It had been a rather good day to walk in the mall. Hopefully, one day soon, Scott and his money would be enough to get out of here and get Scott….out of that life. He knew that Scott needed to earn money for them, what he himself could get by stealing or showing card tricks on the streets was too little. But he didn't have to like it. So far Scott had only had to visit the hospital twice but Remy knew that it was only a matter of time before this life would be too much for Scott…..and for himself. They had to get away now…or they never would. They also needed money for those strange red glasses to Scott that seemed to ease his more and more frequent headaches.

Remy reached the top floor and walked towards the front door. He saw a small figure sitting crushed outside the door and heard faint mumbled sounds, like crying.

"Sainte mère de Dieu _[Sweet Mother Of Jesus]_ " Remy gasped as he ran towards the front door, his heart in his throat. Don't let this mean what I fear, Remy prayed as he ran. The figure by the door looked up as Remy approached.

" Remy!" Alex cried and threw himself into Remy's arms. Remy kneeled by Alex and laid his arms around him.

"Ssch, petit, tout va bien maintenant _[Scch, little one. All is alright now]_ ," Remy said softly as Alex cried by his shoulder. Then Remy drew back. "Alex, dis-moi ce qui se passe. Pourquoi es-tu ici dehors ? Il est minuit passé. _[Alex, tell me what happened. Why are you out here? It is way past midnight.]_ "

He had a bad feeling about all this. A really bad feeling.

" There…..a man…Scott…..I heard…..," Alex tried to explain but broke down every time, his sobs making it really hard for Remy to understand him.

**"** Shh, petit. Calme-toi. Je m'occupe de tout. Dis-moi juste…où est Scott ? _[Shh, little one. Be calm. I'll take care of everything. Just tell me…where is Scott?]_ "

"He's…he's in his bedroom," Alex finally got out. Remy stood up, a determined look in his red on black eyes.

" Stay here, Alex. No matter what you hear, you stay here. Promise me," Remy pressed, swishing to English to be sure Alex understood though they spoke French almost as often as English. If this meant what Remy feared…Mother Mary take pity on Scott…..and on whoever had harmed him when Remy was through with him!

" I….I promise," Alex said, trying to put up a brave face.

"Good," Remy smiled reassuringly to him as he entered the apartment but his smile disappeared as he heard another of his brothers cry in pain, this time clearly in physical pain and Remy's blood froze to ice in his veins. He took a card in his right hand and looked at it. Come on, he thought desperately. It had to work. He knew that he from time to time could get a strange kind of energy to come out from his eyes, lighting up stuff that he could then throw and it'll explode. He needed his powers now. He concentrated all he could but no energy came and Scott's screams became more agonizing.

"Merde _[Damn]_ ," Remy cursed and frustrated threw the cards on the floor. He searched for a weapon. On a nearby table stood a lamp. Remy tore it out from the wall and turned it upside down, holding it up as a weapon. Taking a deep breath and saying a silent prayer he kicked the door in. His eyes quickly searched the room. He saw Scott curled up in a corner, naked, bruised and bloody. Over him stood a man, wearing only underwear. He sounded out of breath and his fists were raised, ready to hit. Scott had his hands over his head in an old age gesture of self protection.

" What the fuck…" the man began surprised as he saw Remy. Filled with rage, anger and a feeling of humiliation he knew was Scott's, Remy launched himself at the man.

"Eloigne toi de mon frêre, connard, éloigne-toi _[Stay the fuck away from my brother. Stay away]_ ," Remy screamed and lifted the lamp end and hit the man over the head. He fell to his knees. Remy hit him again and again. "Meurs, meurs, meurs! _[Die, die, die!]_ " Tears ran down his cheeks as Remy hit the man again and again.

"Stop!" A hand shot out and took the now bloody lamp from Remy and threw it on the floor. As in a haze Remy turned around and looked into Scott's eyes. Scott was on his feet, though unsteady. He was cradling his left hand, his right cheek was red and swollen and blood ran from a small wound in his forehead.

"Scott! Mon frère _[Scott! My brother]_ ," Remy threw his arms around Scott, hiding his face by his shoulder.

"Tout va bien maintenant, Remy. Ne t'inquiète pas. On va s'en sortir [ _It is alright now, Remy. Don't worry. We can work this out]_ ," Scott said softly, pretending not to hear the sobs and sounds of crying coming from Remy. When Remy had stopped his tears, he drew back. His hands felt…wet.

"Que…? _[What?!]_ " Remy tried to look at his hands in the poor light in Scott's bedroom. They were red with blood. "Scott!"

" It's nothing," Scott assured him, his eyes not meeting his. Scott's body hurt like never before but somehow he couldn't register it right now; shock probably, Scott figured.

" Nothing?!" Remy repeated as if he had lost his mind. Before Scott could move Remy walked around him, taking a look at his back. It was bloodied with a fine network of angry red welts, some marks already beginning to colour. Remy guessed Scott had been hit with the man's belt." Christ! What kind of sick person would do this?!"

" Remy, it isn't important. We need to figure out what to do…..with…," Scott indicated the man lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

" Oh, shit! I killed a man!" Remy suddenly realised, a look of horror on his face.

" You had no choice," Scott said gently and laid a hand on his shoulder. They stood in silence for a little while. Then Scott walked slowly towards the bathroom, Remy supporting him. "Get Alex to bed. Tell him…..Fuck, I don't know. Make something up as long as it's anything but the truth. Then come back in here. We need to figure out what to do," Scott said as he disappeared into the bathroom.

" Okay, bro," Remy went back into the living room and opened the front door. Alex jumped up, his cheeks stained with tears.

" Is he….is Scott…" Alex asked softly.

" He is just fine, petit [little one]. Now, you must go to bed," Remy said gently and took Alex by the hand, guiding him to his bedroom.

" But….I heard….." Alex began as Remy searched Alex's drawers and found a nightshirt.

" It was…a game. Just a game. Scott is alright," Remy lied, avoiding Alex's eyes. Everything was happening so quickly, things were suddenly spinning out of control right when there seemed to be hope for a better future.

" But…" Alex pressed.

" No buts, petit. Not tonight," Remy asked softly and helped Alex into his nightdress. When Remy turned back to Alex after having got ready Alex's bed, Alex was in the livingroom, going towards the bathroom.

"Alex! Don't!" Remy yelled and caught Alex before he got to the bathroom, carrying him back into his bedroom.

" But…..I need to brush my teeth," Alex protested as Remy put him in his bed.

" It is late. Not tonight," Remy insisted and tucked him in. He bent down and lightly kissed Alex's forehead. " Sleep well, petit," Remy said softy and turned out the lights as he went to the door.

" Remy?" Alex said and sat up in bed.

" Yes?"

" Ask Scott to say goodnight to me," Alex asked with the insight of a child. He knew something was wrong. Soon they couldn't keep him in the dark anymore, Remy thought sadly. Remy forced a smile.

" I will. Now go to sleep," Remy said and turned out the lights and closed the door to Alex's room. Then he went back to Scott's bedroom. The man on the floor was now covered with a sheet. The bastard doesn't even deserve a funeral, Remy thought darkly. The man's clothes were lying in a stack on the floor next to him, a gun on top of it. And not just any gun…..a police gun. Should have known the bastard was a cop, Remy thought darkly. Great, I killed a cop. Could this get any worse?

Scott was in the room, dressed in tight jeans and painfully getting into a sweatshirt.

" Here," Remy helped him pull it gently over his abused back.

" Thanks."

" So….what are we to do with that?" Remy asked, nodding to the man.

" Call the cops, I guess," Scott mused.

" Yeah, great idea. I have a ton of stolen wallets, watches, credit cards and other stuff that I'm sure they love to see not to mention what you were doing with this guy in the first place. Then they'll ask where our parents are and when they find that Jack has been missing for, thank God, a long time, we'll never see Alex again. Plus we will most likely both end in juvenile and that's IF we succeed in getting the cops to believe I didn't waste that creed, who by the way, is a COP, on purpose or whatever they'll call it," now Remy had to stop for air.

" Stop. I get it. No cops," Scott admitted. " But what then? We need to…get rid of the body." Remy looked at him and something in his eyes….

" Oh no! No way! Out of the question!"

" Scott, it is the only way. The Thieves Guild can help us get this body out of our hands."

" Yeah, and we'll be in their debt forever. No, I'll NOT get involved in that organisation," Scott protested.

" It is the only way," Remy pressed.

" NO! Once we are in we'll never get out. Your father being leader or not….NO!" Scott said strongly. The last they needed was more debt, more people who'll own them…..own him.

" Fine. Then tell me what else to do and better make it good. This body need to be out of here by dawn in…..," Remy checked his ( obviously stolen) watch "…..3 hours."

" I….damn it!" Scott sat carefully down on his newly made bed. Remy sat beside him.

" Scott, I understand how you feel….but this is the only way," Remy said softly. Scott reluctantly nodded.

" Fine. Call 'em."

As Remy left to call from the only phone they had in the livingroom Scott knew it was all over. Now they'll never be able to leave. They'll be indebted to the Thieves Guild…they'll never get out. They'll never go anywhere. Damn, what a mess. Scott hung his head and left for the kitchen to make coffee for him and Remy. What a strange thing to do with a body in the bedroom but he didn't know what to do, what to think. Most of all…..he just felt numb. He feared that if he thought too much about what had happened this night he'll start screaming and never stop.

" Remy, I made….." Scott began, carrying two cups of coffee into the livingroom. He stopped in mid sentence as he through the open door to his bedroom saw…..he wasn't dead! The son of a bitch wasn't dead! He was on unsteady feet in the bedroom, blood running from his head, a gun, his own, in his hand, aiming at Remy's unprotected back as he stood talking on the phone.

"Remy, get down!" Scott yelled and threw the cups on the floor, running through the room and got a hold of Remy, throwing him to the floor. A sharp pain, like fire, ran through his shoulder.

" Damn!" Scott cursed and looked angrily at the man. Suddenly, red energy left his eyes, aiming at the man. " Shit!" Scott quickly closed his eyes. What the fuck had just happened?

" Christ!" Remy gasped.

" What happened?" Scott asked, his eyes still tightly closed as Remy helped him up and into a chair.

" He is dead alright," Remy said softly and tried to look at the gun wound in Scott's shoulder.

" You're sure?" He had killed a man….he had killed a man…..and he just felt…..empty. He felt nothing and that scared him almost as much as the energy that had left his eyes.

" You blew his head up so…..yeah," Remy said as he examined Scott's wound. It was just a flesh wound, thank God.

" How bad? I don't need to go to the hospital, right? We can't afford that now," Scott asked. Remy shook his head, then remembered Scott still had his eyes closed.

" No, I can fix it," Remy promised.

" Joy," Scott mumbled dryly, clashing his teeth tightly together. Remy smiled though Scott couldn't see it and went to get to get some alcohol to clean the wound with, the first aid kit (or what passed for it) and some harps the old ones always said was good against pain. If only he could get Scott to take them, that was.

" Do you know what happened? The red energy? Do you think you have some strange powers….like me?" Remy asked as he got ready to clean Scott's wound.

" I...think so. Au!" Scott protested as Remy without warning had put a cloth with alcohol on Scott's wound and it hurt.

" Scott, you can open your eyes. I know how scared of the powers I was….I remember I ran off, stayed away for weeks when I had used my powers for the first time in fear I'll blow you or Alex up. But I didn't. It took months before I could light anything again. Scott, brother….open your eyes," Remy asked softly as he made a bandage for his shoulder.

" I….I dare not," Scott admitted, cursing his own weakness. He needed to be strong. He couldn't afford to fear himself when they had so much else to fear. He needed to be strong for Alex and Remy. But what if he couldn't control his powers? What if the brain damage he had suffered a few years back in a fight made him unable to handle those powers? What if he hurt Remy...or Alex? Dared he take the chance? Dared he not? Remy was probably right…it most likely took weeks before his powers resurfaced…he hoped.

" It's alright. I'll take care of this," Remy promised and made a bandage for Scott's left hand. Before Scott could answer the bell ran and Remy left to answer the door.

Five men from the Thieves Guild entered and Remy showed the men to the body. As the body was carried away Jean Luc showed up.

"Remy. Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ici? _[Remy. What happened here?]_ " his father asked as the body was carried past them.

"Rien dont je ne pourrais pas m'occuper _[Nothing I couldn't handle]_ ," Remy insisted.

"Je t'ai déjà demandé avant si tu voulais te joindre à nous, maintenant, je ne demande pas. _[I have asked you before to join us, now I'm not asking]_ ," Jean Luc said softly. "Je ne peux pas appliquer des règles différentes juste parce que tu es mon fils _[I can not make different rules just because you are my son]_."

"Je comprends _[I understand]_ ," Remy tried to fight the bad feeling he got by saying this but he didn't win. This was the beginning to the end. Somehow, he knew that. " Scott and I…..we are yours," Remy deliberately swished to English, somehow the words were a little easier to say in English. Pleading wasn't in his nature and the words were bitter, as bitter as could be. Now he knew what Scott had protected him from; the humiliation, the bitter taste pleading brought to ones tongue, the feeling of ones spirit dying.

" Jean Luc," a new voice said and Scott stood in the door, a faint red glow behind his open eyes. Though still weak his appearance and voice were anything but as he continued. "Remy and me…..we are in your debt but we alone. Alex stay out of this. I don't want anyone from your organization anywhere near my brother, is that clear?"

Jean Luc wasn't good at English and that was why Scott spoke in English, then he had the edge.

"Are you threatening me?!" Jean Luc asked, a hint of amusement mixed in his surprise and disbelief.

"No. I'm telling you that if you harm my brother or get him into your organization I'll do anything in my might to kill you. I have already taken one life to protect a brother, don't think I wouldn't take one more to protect another brother."

Remy wasn't even sure if Scott was bluffing or not but it worked.

" I have no need for your youngest brother," with that Jean Luc walked away. Scott stood tall…..until Jean Luc was out of sight. Then he nearly fell to the floor in sheer exhaustion.

" Scott!" Remy caught him and guided him to his bed and got him in.

" This is the beginning…to nothing. Isn't it?" Scott asked softly into the darkness of his room.

" No, brother. We'll make it. Everything will be fine," Remy lied. Scott smiled bittersweetly.

"You're a damn liar, Remy. And the best friend and brother I could wish for," his voice was drifting away.

" You too, Scott. No one could have done more for Alex or me…than you," Remy said softly but Scott had already fallen asleep in sheer exhaustion. "Dors profondément mon frêre. C'est peut-être la dernière fois que tu peux en faire autant _[Sleep tight, brother. It may be the last time you can do so]_ ," Remy whispered and left Scott's bedroom. Scott was right; this was the beginning to the end. Now they'll never go anywhere. There was only one outcome to all this; disaster. Remy sat in a chair in the living room, thinking, but soon he too fell asleep in exhaustion. His dreams weren't pleasant but haunted by nightmares…..nightmares of blood, pain, killings, cops…..and Alex's body, broken, bloody…..and gone forever. Going…..all going away…all going nowhere.


	3. What Comes Up...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean Luc is up to something and Scott and Remy try to find out what

**What Comes Up…**

Part 1:

Ring, ring  
The doorbell ran and Scott forced himself to relax. These last 2 months had been Hell; every time he saw a cop, heard a sudden noise or the bell rang he feared it was the cops coming to arrest him. Arrest him for murder. Scott shook his head and ran a hand through his brown hair. He slept very little these days.

"Oui [Yes]?" Scott said as he opened the door. Outside stood Jean Luc Lebeau, Remy's father and head of the Thieves Guild. A man he unfortunately owed his life.

"Quelle belle façon d'accueillir ton sauveur, hein [What a nice way to greet your saviour, eh]?" Jean Luc said with a teasing smile and Scott frowned. He didn't trust him as far as he could throw him. Scott reluctantly sidestepped and let Jean Luc enter. As he closed the door behind him he saw 2 men in long coats and black sunglasses standing out in the hallway; some of Jean Luc's men.

"What do you want?" Scott demanded as he had closed the door, purposely switching to English, as he knew that Jean Luc spoke a really poor English. He was in a foul mood; Alex would be back from school soon, Jean Luc had just sent Remy on a "mission" e.g. a. out to steal something, due to the "incident" as Jean Luc called it Scott had had no clients in 2 months and money was running low on top of his constant headaches even with his new red shades.

"C'est à des moments comme ça que je me demande sérieusement pourquoi j'ai laissé mon fils avec toi [It is at times like these that I seriously wonder why I left my son with you]," Jean Luc commented dryly, a look of annoyance at Scott's switch to English on his face. It wasn't that he didn't understand English for he did but he had difficulties speaking it. With a shake of his head at the defiant young man Jean Luc went over and took a beer from the refrigerator. Scott forced himself not to tear it out of his hand.

" I believe it was because you had 'aucun désir de prendre soin d'un gosse pleurant avec les yeux rouges d'un démon [no desire to take care of a crying kid with red demon eyes]'," Scott coldly reminded him. They stood in silence for a while until Jean Luc broke it.

"J'ai besoin de toi pour un travail [I need you for a job]," Jean Luc finally said. Scott's first instinct was to tell him to go fuck himself until he remembered that he owed Jean Luc.

" What is it?"

"Un de mes associés sera en ville demain [A business partner of mine will be in town tomorrow]," Jean Luc began and Scott knew where this was heading.

" I choose my own clients," Scott reminded him.

"Plus maintenant. Fais lui faire un tour, sois gentil avec elle [Not anymore you do. Show her around, be nice to her]," Jean Luc demanded, an edge of steel in his voice.

" She?! It's a woman?!" Scott asked disbelieving.

" Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas, fils? Jamais fait avant avec une femme [What's wrong, son? Never done it with a woman before]?" wry amusement in his voice.

" Of cause I have!" Scott said sharply. It was just that women...that wasn't a job, he had never been paid to be with a woman before and it had helped him feel...more alive? Human?... In control?...Like a man? He wasn't sure why but the thought of being with a woman for money bothered him.

"Alors il n'y a aucun problème, d'accord [Then there is no problem, right]?" Jean Luc asked as he emptied his beer and went to the door.

" No. No problem," Scott mumbled darkly.

" On passera te chercher à sept heures demain soir [Good. You'll be picked up at seven tomorrow night]," Jean Luc said and opened the door to leave. " Ah, oui. J'avais presque oublié. Essaye de t'habiller classique, pas avec ces hautes chaussures de merde bon marché, compris [Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Try to dress classic, not that cheap long boots kinda shit, got it]?" Jean Luc warned.

" Got it," Scott said but Jean Luc had already left.

" Idiot!" Scott mumbled angered and humiliated into the empty air. " Fucking idiot."

Part 2  
Remy opened the front door and walked in. It has been a rough "mission" Jean Luc had put him on; he had been told to steal a painting and not just any painting; a fucking big painting. But he had succeeded after the damn dogs in the owner's garden had almost had him for a late night snack.

" Je suis rentré mes frères [I'm home, brothers]," he called out. Alex ran from his room and into his brother's embrace.

" Remy! Please say you don't have to leave again!" Alex begged, trying to hold back tears.

" Of course not, petit [little one]. But, where is Scott?" Remy asked as he stroked Alex's hair before letting him out of his embrace.

" He left. 3 days ago," Alex said as his hand found Remy's.

" He left?! And left you here alone?" Remy asked disbelieving.

" He left a letter for you," Alex ran to the kitchen table and gave Remy the letter.

" Have you eaten yet? It's almost 8," Remy asked as he opened Scott's letter.

" No, I...I don't like to eat alone," Alex admitted softly.

" Then start taking something out for us and I'll disk something up," Remy promised.

" Really? Great!" Alex smiled as he began to see what was in the fridge.

Remy smiled and began to read Scott's letter;

"Remy,

My brother, I do not know where I am going from here; your father is to take me to a client who is a partner of his. Oh, yeah, while I'm at it, did I ever tell you just how much I utterly hate your father?"

Remy smiled at that, as Scott had wanted.

" Brother, as always...if I don't come back, look after Alex. Don't let him grow up to be like us.

I love you both.

Scott

P.S.: I filled the fridge. And yes, I did remember to buy ice cream."

Remy smiled again before he tore the note to pieces. If Scott didn't come back he'll look for him, hunt his murderer down till the end of time...and he would take care of Alex. He shook his head. No, he wouldn't think like that. Scott was strong, probably the strongest of them all, he would pull through.

" So, what are we having?" Remy asked with false cheer. Alex had lined everything from sausage to ice cream up on the table. " All of that, petit?"

" Is it okay?"

" Sure," Remy said, wanting Alex to forget 3 days when he had had to come home to an empty apartment, not knowing when or even if his brothers would be back, 2 nights alone and scared. He wanted him to know he was safe now.

" What shall we make first?" Remy asked as he lifted Alex up to sit on the kitchen table. " Sweet Jesus! Boy, what have you been eating?"

" White elephants," Alex grinned, answering their on going joke about Alex's love for the big animals and how quickly he was growing.

" So..." Remy looked at all the stuff Alex had taken out.

" Pancakes. And ice cream!" Alex said, smiling broadly.

" Just watch the master chef at work, petit," Remy said and smiled happily when his chef attempts made Alex laugh. Though beneath his seemly good humour Remy worried for Scott. Where was he and was he all right?

Part 3:

" This one will suit you," she said and held out another Armani suit before Scott. Scott tried to maintain his smile. This woman was like a damn octopus, she just wouldn't let go. It was as if Scott had become her own social case, her...she took out a tight fitting pair of pants...her damn dressing doll.

" Elizabeth, they are all great but you have already given me so much," Scott tried to decline. It wasn't that he didn't want stuff, not that at all but he sensed trouble in this woman, especially her possessiveness. He had been with her for 3 weeks now, slept in her bed, eaten with her by her table; been all she wanted of him. Even though he had been extra careful NOT to show any interest in anything or anyone but her she had accused him of looking at other women, had dragged him away, possessively holding his hand as one a favourite toy.

" Nonsense, Scott. Warren... my husband, has lots of money. He won't miss a few," Elizabeth insisted and took some pants and shirts to the counter. The amount she paid for the clothes was more money than Scott had ever dreamed anyone could own in a lifetime least of all, all at once. As they walked out and Elizabeth's limousine picked them up she took the clothes out and showed them to him again.

" See? I told you they'd be perfect. Aren't you glad I bought them?"

" Yes, Elizabeth. Thank you. You're very kind," Scott said dutifully and kissed her on the lips. One day, he thought, one day I won't have to pay for everything this way.

" I have told you to call me Betsy and you're welcome. You can thank me properly later," she said with a smile and Scott forced himself to smile back. These last 3 weeks had been worse than any one night with any client he had had before; some had beat him but this sophisticated humiliation, the way she had even showed him off to some of her female friends like a price won…It wasn't that Elizabeth was bad looking, in fact she was beautiful though almost 40 now, it was her way of saying 'I own you' in everything she did that he hated so much.

" I... I really need to check in with my brothers," Scott carefully tried again for the Gods knew what time. Elizabeth wasn't someone to piss off. Her husband was a well known weapon dealer who always let his wife check out the clients. Though what Jean Luc wanted with guns was beyond him. The Thieves Guild had never bought guns before. What was Jean Luc up to? Though he was curious his most pressing concern was his brothers. He hoped Remy had been back quickly so Alex hadn't been alone for long. He had hated having to leave Alex but he had had no choice.

" They are big boys. They'll be fine," Elizabeth insisted and Scott got a bad feeling she'll never let him leave.

" Elizabeth...Betsy, I really need to see them," Scott tried again. He was moving in on dangerous grounds but he didn't care. He needed to get back to his family.

" Do you want to leave me?!" her tone was suddenly very very cold. Scott quickly shook his head though he wanted to scream; "Hell yes!"

" Of course I don't want to leave you, baby. I love you," Scott insisted and drew her into his embrace and kissed her deeply. " But my brothers need me," Scott whispered softly as they drew apart. He saw the anger in her eyes before he felt her hand hit his cheek.

" Then so be it!" her voice...so hard, so cold, like ice. She really deserved the husband she had, Scott thought darkly.

" Stop the car," she demanded and the limo stopped.

"Get out!" she ordered and opened the door and almost pushed Scott out.

" Yeah, well... I never liked you anyway," Scott mumbled as the limo drove away with a speed that fit its owner's fury. This was going to cost him, Scott knew that but right now all he cared for was making sure his brothers were safe.

Part 4:

" Have you heard anything? Where is she? Where?" Remy demanded to know, his voice more agonised than Scott had ever heard it. It had now been 2 months since his run-in with Elizabeth and though he hadn't heard from her and her and Jean Luc's deal had gone down fine he knew it was just calm before the storm. She was known for her revengeful mind. Especially since he had gotten away with in cash and the Armani suit he had worn.

" Where is who, brother? What are you talking about?" Scott asked as he looked up from the lunch he was preparing for Alex to take with him tomorrow in school.

" Bella Donna!" Remy almost yelled frustrated.

" Why would she be here? If your father found out...she is the daughter of the leader of the Assassins Guild," Scott reminded him.

Scott had known about Bella Donna and Remy's romance for some months now and though he found it unwise he stood by his brother. It wasn't that he cared at all about her being from the other Guild but more because Remy cared for his woman; loved her. Scott cared for exactly 2 things in this world; Remy and Alex. For all he cared the world could go to Hell and beyond; what had the world ever done for him anyway? No, love was always a mistake. You'll either be fooled, coned, betrayed or the one you love ends up dead... like their mother.

" I told her she could come here if there was ever trouble," Remy explained but when Scott still looked puzzled he added; " You really haven't heard?"

Scott shook his head as the clock in the kitchen stroke midnight.

" Jean Luc attacked the Assassins Guild a few hours ago. It was a bloodbath. Many killed, the rest spread for all winds."

" That isn't the Thieves way," Scott mumbled shocked.

" Who cares about that?! Where is Bella Donna? Where is... my wife?" Remy demanded to know.

" You got married?" Scott couldn't help but ask shocked until he saw the pain in his brother's red on black eyes. Scott went over and laid a calming hand on Remy's shoulder.

" I don't know where she is but I know someone who might know."

A dark look fell over Remy's face.

" My father. I swear if he has hurt just one hair on her head..."

" We'll get her back," Scott promised though again he made a promise he had no control over.

"Let's go. Alex is asleep," Scott continued, anticipating Remy's question.

As they walked down the streets, their long black coats fluttering in the wind, Scott felt that somehow this night would change everything. And he doubted it was for the better. When they were to enter the building where the Thieves Guild hang out Remy laid a hand on Scott's arm and stopped him.

" What…what if she's gone?" the question was softly spoken and Scott had a feeling he knew why Remy had kept his dark sunglasses on.

" She isn't. All will be alright," Scott promised though if the word on the street was that Jean Luc had attacked the Assassins Guild, he doubted she had been spared. But Remy found the resurgence he needed and opened the door.

"Ce n'est pas bien, Jean Luc. La guilde des voleurs ne tue pas [This is wrong, Jean Luc. The Thieves Guild doesn't kill]!" Scott and Remy heard Pierre argue and as they came into view they saw that all of the Thieves Guild was gathered this night.

"Avez-vous attaqué les assassins [Did you attack the Assassins]?" Remy demanded to know and the crowd around Jean Luc let him pass; the fury in his voice and the determination in his steps made sure no one wanted to stand in his way.

"C'était une question de survie; nous ou eux. Franchement je préfère nous [It was a matter of survival; us or them. Frankly I prefer us]," Jean Luc insisted, still playing to the crowd. Remy reached Jean Luc who used the cheer of the crowd to pull Remy close to him by his jacket collar and whispered in his ear;  
" Ne croise pas mon chemin, mon garçon. Tu n'aimerais pas les consequences [Don't cross me, boy. You won't like the consequences]." His eyes blazing Remy pulled back and reset his collar.

"Ne me touche pas. Jamais [Don't touch me. Ever]," Remy whispered angrily.

" Did you or did you not send the Thieves Guild to wipe out the Assassins Guild?" Scott's strong and high voice broke through the general noise as he made his way through the crowd to the heightened podium where Remy stood too close to Jean Luc for Scott's taste. He did not trust that man with a piece of paper and certainly not with his brother. The crowd followed the discussion with renewed interest.

" In other words; did you kill Bella Donna, you crazy bastard?" Remy asked with barely concealed anger, also switching to English as he knew why Scott had done so; it gave them an edge, a picture of being the strongest.

"Non [No]," Jean Luc denied. Remy drew a relieved breath.

" Liar! You told us to kill all who were there. She was there," Pierre said and stood forth from the crowd. Remy seemed torn, wanting to believe his love was still alive but fearing Pierre was right.

" You killed them? Ordered their murder?" Scott asked shocked. Jean Luc was more nuts than he had first thought. " And you did his dirty work!" this time it was said to the crowd, disgust and accusation clear in his voice.

" He told us they had attacked a fragment of the Guild, killed several members," Pierre offered as explanation or excuse Scott wasn't sure.

"Fils de pute [You son of a bitch]!" Remy screamed and in his rage switched back to French as he finally came to realise that Pierre had to be right; he had nothing to gain by lying. Filled with red hot fury to match his eyes Remy jumped Jean Luc, his hands closing around his throat.

" Remy!" Scott yelled and tried to separate the two men as the nearest Guild members acted on instinct, their leader's recent betrayal forgotten as they jumped to his aid. Several bruises later they succeeded in separating the two men.

"Je te détruirai, le jure[I'll kill you, I swear]!" Remy threatened, tears forming in his eyes.

"Vous avez entendu ça [Did you hear that]?" Jean Luc asked, trying to play to the crowd again. As only silence met him he turned angrily to the men who still held him back; "laissez-moi partir [Let me go]," Jean Luc demanded and tore free from his men.

" Let him go too," Scott insisted and nodded to his brother. The men all turned to Jean Luc. " NOW!" Scott yelled and the men immediately released Remy.

"C'est comme ça que ça devrait être? Il a essayé de me tuer [Is this how it shall be? He tried to kill me]!" Jean Luc protested.

" If I had tried to kill you you'd be dead now. I only wanted to hurt you. Badly," Remy hissed angrily, his eyes blazing.

" Can you forget the family quarrel for a while here?" Pierre said with a sigh and interrupted Jean Luc and Remy's staring match. " We have more pressing issues to discuss. Like what happened today and what to do about it."

" I say we take a vote," Leo 'the weasel' Del Toro said from the back.

" Yeah. Let's have a vote," Mat the knife' Johnson agreed.

" Whom shall we vote against? I mean, if we vote Jean Luc down for this who'll take his place?" Julia asked, for once not following her normal 'whoever won, I voted for you all along' attitude.

"je ne peux pas le croire [I can't believe this]!" Jean Luc mumbled chocked at his men who ignored him.

" Why not replace one Lebeau with another?" Pierre suggested and all eyes turned to Remy.

" No fucking way! Not 10 wild horses can get me to be what he was!" Remy said disgusted, the loss of his beloved Bella Donna burning bright in his heart and mind.

" What about you, Scott?" Mat asked, playing with his knife in a not too comforting way. Scott looked from the crowd to Remy to Jean Luc. If they wanted Jean Luc gone...there was only one way and that was to take what he wanted most from him; power.

" I'll take the job," Scott said with a triumph smile at Jean Luc. There was no question how this vote would fall out; Jean Luc would be thrown out of the Guild and Scott would be made new leader. And for the first time in his life Scott felt like he mattered, like he belonged as he was made leader of the Guild. From nothing to controlling an entire organization. Who would have thought he could come this far; climb this high?

Epilogue:

The man neared the desk in the big office, his steps determined.

" I hear you can help me," he said, a thick French accent to his English words as he drew to a stop before the desk. The chair behind the desk turned around and a woman looked him over.

" Maybe. What is your problem?"

" A boy. Nothing but a damn boy who ruined everything I had," the bitterness and anger in his voice was clear.

" This boy has a name?" her tone was eager now. The man smiled but it was a predator's smile.

" Summers. Scott Summers."

" Oh, yes, Mr. Lebeau. We sure can do business," the woman said, a smile curving her lips. No one turned her down and if they did she'll show them that the last laugh was always hers.

" Glad to hear that...Elizabeth," Jean Luc said as he seated himself across from her. She smiled wickedly.

" We'll get our revenge. You know what they say..." she began and Jean Luc finished her sentence for her;

" All what comes up...must come down!"

The End


	4. Falling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstandings lead to a chain of events which none can stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All text in [this] is the French translations to the Cajun spoken here.

**Falling Down**

Part 1:

" Guild master, I beg your forgiveness," the man begged in his native Cajun as he was forced to his knees before Scott. Scott raised his eyebrows questionably at him. He had been Guild master, leader of the Guild, for almost 3 months now and he had to admit that he liked the power he had but he also wanted to do his new job as good as possible; finally people respected him and that respect he would do anything to keep. When Scott had taken over the Guild there had of course been protests but they had, mostly, been silenced. But Jean Luc had left the Guild in bad shape; it was divided and torn. The different divisions of the Guild often had renegade members who refused to listen to the main body; refused to listen to him as Guild master. That was unacceptable. The Guild was threatened enough from the outside to need an inside threat as well. From the outside there were the free contractors and the FOH since many members of the Guild were mutants, more than what could be suspected but since the Guilds officially didn't exist it was one of the safest places to be a mutant.

" Speak English, Thief!" Remy demanded sharply. Scott had changed the Thieves official language from Cajun French to English in an attempt at getting the Guild more easily accepted all over the USA so they could expand their business. The language used to any and all traditional events was still French though.

" Sorry, Guild Master. I beg your forgiveness for my trespasses," the man said, this time in a very bad English.

" What has he done?" Scott asked, his red glance found his brother who was also kneeling before him though not as deeply as the man. It was an old tradition to kneel before the Guild master when he sat on his throne as Scott did now, just like the Thieves colours; their outfit with cape, a fighting stick and a dagger was the traditional outfit for the members. Scott had considered getting rid of it but he soon learned that if he wanted to keep the Guild together he needed the traditions.

" You may rise, prince," Scott said, a hint of amusement in his voice as he addressed Remy by his formal title. Remy stood and smiled slightly to his brother though Scott could tell he wasn't happy or amused. Since the massacre on the Assassins three months ago; Remy had been miserable and mourning the wife he had only had for two hours; the Princess of the Assassins; Bella Donna.

" He did an unauthorised job," Remy told him, his French accent thick in his words.

" You are a member of this Guild. You know this to be against our law," Scott said, his words being reflected back from the big stone walls in the old castle looking mansion the Thieves had sat up as headquarters.

" I needed the money," the man claimed. Scott's glance went to Remy who just shrugged.

" Go to our division in Chicago while I decide what to do with you," Scott ordered and the man's face brightened up in a big smile.

" Thank you, Guild master. Thank you," he kept repeating before he was out the door.

" Guild master, with all due respect...you need to strike harder at people who defy our laws," Sandra, his advisor, said.

" Or I'll look weak?" Scott asked, a hint of something she couldn't quite place in his voice.

" Well...yes," she admitted, praying she wasn't on too thin ice here.

" Woman, you speak out of place!" Remy said, his voice dangerously low.

" That is alright, brother. She is right," Remy looked shocked at Scott who just smiled. " And that is why I am going to punish this law breaker with our most severe punishment as an example," Scott said and turned his eyes back to his brother. " Put up a contract on him. Thieves' law say any hit we do can't be done inside New Orleans; inside the city any current or former member of the Guild is safe, that was why I needed him out of town."

" I'll see to it," Remy promised and cast a ' I told you he knew what he was doing' look at Sandra.

" You may leave us, prince," Scott said formally and Remy bowed once before he disappeared. Scott felt a stick of sadness for his brother; he had had to take on far too much for one so young; already he had felt the pain of loss twice, three times if one counted Jean Luc.

" Guild master, have you decided what to do with the contracts Jean Luc put out on Guild members?" Sandra asked now that they were alone again. Though Scott only fully trusted 2 people; his brothers, Sandra came a close third. She always said exactly what was on her mind; no bull shirt and that pleased him.

" You know as do I that though Jean Luc was well liked and ran the Guild well for many years; the last at least 5 years he was Guild master he had become sickenly angst for the Assassins and feared anyone would try and take his position away from him. Many of the people he has contracts out on we need; they are no threat to this Guild," Scott explained and Sandra nodded.

" It won't look good if you reverse every law or command the last Guild master made," she warned.

" I know so here is what we do; the people we need, send them to our subdivisions away from New Orleans and cancel those contracts. People we can spare..." his lips formed a grim line. He hated this part of the job but it had to be done,"...carry them out."

Part 2:

" Remy, is that you?" Scott asked from the living room. Remy sighed. Damn that man! He had the hearing of a wolf.

" Yes, mon frêre[my brother]. It is me," Remy said and went into the living room. Strange, how things could change in only 3 months. After Scott had become Guild master they had moved into the big Mansion that was the Guild master's home. Alex had been sent to a fine private (and by Remy's wishes) Catholic school. The house itself was bigger than anything any of the brothers had ever seen and right after they had moved in Alex had gotten so lost in the house that he had yelled out for his brothers; asking where they were. Scott had yelled back that he and Remy were in the kitchen. After a short pause Alex had asked; where is the kitchen? Yes, things had certainly changed. Though his and Scott's jobs were still very much on the wrong side of the law, Remy was happy that Scott was finally spared doing what he had done before. That he now had control over his mind as well as over his body.

" Remy, it is 4 in the night. Where were you?" The words weren't harsh but soft. Scott and Remy had had their arguments these last months with Remy's continuing disappearing in the night and his withdrawal from life in general. Scott knew it was grief but he also knew that he couldn't let him sink too far down in his own misery.

" Out," Remy turned to go but Scott's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist; holding him back.

" Oh, no. Not this time. Tonight we talk things through," Scott insisted and forced Remy down in the chair opposite his own.

" I'm not one of your members to be pushed around," Remy snarled angrily but remained seated.

" No, but you are my brother and I care for you," Scott insisted and leaned towards him. " Remy...what is wrong?" Remy seemed to consider if he could answer that or not but finally he mumbled;

" It is Bella Donna. I...I can't believe I have lost her," Scott could hear tears in his voice but didn't see them on his cheeks. Maybe that was what he needed; to cry for his beloved. Scott had never pretended he understood Remy's great love for his woman, for Bella Donna, but Scott understood grief well. Remy hadn't cried at Bella's funeral; hadn't cried at all since Jean Luc's expulsion from the Guild.

" Remove your glasses," Scott asked softly. Remy was to protest as Scott continued in the same soft tone, " the light in here is soft and low; it will not hurt your eyes."

Scott knew that Remy often wore his dark sunglasses to protect his sensitive eyes from the sharp light, especially direct sunlight hurt his eyes. Remy did as bid and Scott could see his brother's red on black eyes.

" It was my fault," Remy said suddenly. Scott shook his head violently.

" No. No, it wasn't. It was Jean Luc's fault."

" But if I hadn't married her that night, had we only waited..." Remy began.

" Remy, listen to me!" Scott interrupted him. " There was nothing you could have done," he reached over and took Remy's hands in his. " Nothing," he whispered softly. Now he could see tears in his brother's eyes and Scott reached out and pulled him into an embrace.

" I loved her so much, Scott," Remy cried by his shoulder and Scott drew calming circles on his back.

" I know and she did too," Scott assured him and kept mumbling soft words of comfort to him. He could smell alcohol on Remy's breath and knew that he had been trying to drown his grief these last months. Now, finally, he hoped that Remy could put Bella's ghost to rest. After a while Remy pulled back and wiped his tears away. His eyes reflected great pain but also a new determination to live on which Scott had been waiting and hoping for these past months.

" Thank you, brother," Remy said softly and Scott smiled.

" Anytime."

Scott looked out the window and saw that dawn was breaking. " Come," he said as he stood and pulled Remy up with him.

" Where are we going?" Remy asked puzzled.

" Giving you peace," Scott just said.

Soon after they stood before Bella Donna Lebeau's grave, Remy holding a bouquet of 15 red roses in his hands; her lucky number. The bouquet was the same kind as the one he had given her as a wedding bouquet.

" I don't know about this," Remy mumbled.

" Come on," Scott gently pushed Remy forth before turning to walk away to give him peace. In safe distance stood the Honour Guards who protected the Prince and Guild master and Scott walked to stand with them. Remy knelt before Bella's stone and put the flowers on her grave.

" I have never been good at this, chere," he mumbled and let his hand run over her name in the stone. Tears sprung to his eyes. So young and already below ground; it just wasn't fair. " I don't know what to say but sorry, chere. I'm so very sorry," his tears fell on her grave, the smell of spring in the air. " I loved you so much. I had such dreams and hopes for us. I thought the entire world was ours for the taking. Bella...chere, I love you still and always will," he whispered brokenly as more tears fell. A little away Scott watched his brother's tears and something in him wished he could try that; that he was able to love deeply enough to feel such pain. Only the death of his brothers would ever be able to grant him such heartache and he would rather die a 1000th deaths than see any of his brothers harmed. He frowned. With Elizabeth still out there he might not have any say in the matter. Just the thought that that terrible bitch shared first name with his mother made his blood boil in rage. Elizabeth would seek her revenge, he knew that. He just hoped that when she did; he would be ready.

Part 3:

" My princess. When the news reached me I was so relieved," the man said as he kneeled by the young woman's bedside. A ring of Honour Guards made sure he could make no sudden moves.

" You have always been a damn liar, uncle," Bella snarled and sat up straight in bed. She cursed her weak voice. She needed to be strong; she had to be. For Remy's sake.

" Your father?" her uncle asked though the words lacked the concerned tone one would normally expect from a grieving brother.

" He died. All at our headquarters were murdered. Only I got out," Bella said, her voice low. She fought the tears back; she needed to be strong. She was her father's daughter; she could do this. Forbidden that terrible night returned to her; how her father had waited up for her, how they had fought when she told him she had married the Prince Thief, how he had said they were both way too young to marry; both a few years younger than 18, how she had been mad at him, saying she hated him, how the windows and doors had suddenly shattered and men had entered, how her father had drawn his pistols and she her own, how her father had jumped in front of her, his body her shield as a rain of bullets suddenly was fired towards her, how she had fallen backwards on the floor and been knocked unconscious and finally how she had woken up here in Houston in a bed in their subdivision. Later she had found out that one of their runners had found her and brought her secretly out of the house and to safety. Though how safe she was she wasn't sure. Though a father's love was as endless as the unselfishness in his last deed; there had been too many bullets. She was dying and she knew it but she'll be damned if she was going to die alone; she wanted revenge, she wanted her husband avenged...she wanted her father's forgiveness. The latter she could never get but she could damn well work on the first 2.

" What did our people find out? What is happening in the Thieves Guild?" She forced her voice to be strong. Remy...where was her beloved Remy? Had be betrayed her? Set her up? No, she couldn't believe that.

" They have a new Guild master; Jean Luc is out. Our people haven't been able to find him," her uncle reported, his annoyance at not having been grated permission to rise from his kneeling position evident in his voice but she didn't care. He didn't care for her family so for all she cared he could go straight to Hell. Maybe she should get him sent there? Later, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

" Remy is new leader?" she wondered out load. Why hadn't he searched for her? Didn't he care?

" No, my Princess. No news on Remy. Scott is new leader," Henri, one of her Honour Guards broke in and knelt before her as he answered. Had she not been so consumed by her own thoughts, her own pain, she would have noticed the clear jealousy in his voice when he had spoken about Remy. A mere Thief would NEVER be good enough for his Princess. NEVER! Henri thought darkly.

" Scott?! His brother?! Why?" She again thought out loud. Why would the guild choose a half brother of the Thief Prince over their Guild master's own son? A grim suspicion entered her mind. They wouldn't...unless the Prince was gone.

" The...Prince might be dead," her uncle voiced out her fears. Bella nodded. When Remy hadn't come for her she had feared he might be dead but now she was sure. Tears threatened to fall but she held them back, there were time enough for that later.

" The new Guild master, Scott, must have murdered his own brother to gain power," anger and hate was clear in her voice.

" What do you command, princess?" Henri asked.

" I want the new Guild master of the Thieves eliminated! As soon as possible," Bella ordered darkly. No one took away what was hers. No one hurt her man...killed her own husband without paying the price in full! " Uncle, do we have the Wolverine home?" she asked. He was their best assassin.

" No. He took an independent contract in Europe," her uncle said. As one of very few members, Wolverine was allowed to take independent contracts.

" Fine. Get someone else on the case. I want him dead, dead, dead as soon as possible. Clear?" She hissed, blood running down her lip, which she quickly wiped away. She was dying and they all knew it.

" I shall carry out your revenge, my princess," Henri promised.

" What about the other brother?" her uncle asked.

" NO!" Bella said strongly. " Remy loved his younger brother. He may NOT be touched. Clear?" all the excitement had taken their toll on her and she leaned exhausted back in the pillows.

" Understood, princess," her uncle answered.

" Understood, my princess," Henri said lightly. So, the man who had caused his Princess's death had a beloved brother. Well, if he lost his princess...that street rat of a Thief Prince would loose his beloved brother. Remy might be dead but if he should loose all then by God, so should Remy.

" You may take your leave," Bella said weakly and the men bowed and left her. Her honour Guards bowed before her and went to stand outside her room to grant her privacy. She reached weakly over and took up the picture of Remy that stood by her nightstand into her hands. He smiled carefree at her, his always present sunglasses on as she had taken the photo in bright sunlight. She let her fingers run lightly over his image. Tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto the picture like pearls of silver.

" My beloved...I shall revenge you. I swear to you, my love; you shall be revenged!" her voice was weak and hoarse but the determination in it was strong. The sunlight came through the window and made her tears shine like diamonds and the light got reflected in her wedding ring; so bright in it's intensity as only young love can be.

Part 4:

" You know what to do?" Elizabeth asked, her voice hard as her limousine parked a few blocks from Scott's new residence. Jean Luc nodded.

" I go in, plant the dope and the gun and get the Hell out of there," Jean Luc said, his French accent clear in his words. Elizabeth nodded.

" Your men did a little too good a job with hiding that body for Scott last time. So, we need something new on him; something to use as blackmail. My men have killed a man; a member of the Thieves Guild with that gun," she nodded to the gun in Jean Luc's gloved hand. " When the cops get our 'anonymous' tip they'll search Scott's place, get the gun and for good measure the dope and we'll have him exactly where we want him," her eyes lightened up at the prospect.

" And I return as Guild master," Jean Luc added, not sure he liked her obsession with Scott. He wanted the boy removed so he could reclaim his position in the Guild but Elizabeth wanted more than to see the kid dead; she wanted him humiliated as she felt she had been. Jean Luc was glad he was on her side. Being her enemy was certain death.

" Yes, yes, of course," Elizabeth agreed absently. " Now, go on," she made a motion towards the car door with her hands and Jean Luc exited the car and walked towards Scott's new residence while the limousine speeded away; the house where he had lived for over 40 years! Anger and rage burned in him at the thought. That brat wouldn't take everything he had ever had away from him.

Scott hadn't had much time to change the house and though the codes to the security system were new; there still wasn't a code Jean Luc couldn't break. When inside the house he sneaked up to the Master bedroom, his own old room and planted the dope. Then he moved downstairs to plant the gun a good place when suddenly he heard voices from the living room. Damn, where did all those people come from? The house had been empty when he had entered. Elizabeth had said that her contact had assured her that no one was home tonight. The only way out without setting off the house' security system was through that living room now filled with people. As he sneaked up to stand just outside the open door Jean Luc realised just what all this was about, what it had always been about; Elizabeth and her revenge. Never him and his desires. He looked at the gun in his gloved hands. There had never been a kill with that gun; the only bait here...was himself. Damn that bitch to Hell! Jean Luc thought hotly. She had sent him in here with the intension that he should die. What should he do now? He peeked through the door and saw that there were some 13 members of the guild there, plus Scott and a young man with long brown hair in a ponytail who had his back turned to the door at the moment. He couldn't take out 15 people, especially not if the rumours that Scott and his brother were mutants were true. On the other hand he had no choice; he had been replaced and thrown out; he was forbidden to even be in New Orleans. It was Guild law; any member who had been thrown out of the Guild was forbidden to have any contact with the Guild or ever enter New Orleans ever again. Did they come back, they would be killed outside New Orleans as it was Thief law that all members and former members of the Guild was never to be harmed on their person while in the city. All in all he had no chance in Hell and Elizabeth had known that. He had underestimated her as he had underestimated Scott and that treacherous son of his; Remy. Taking a deep breath, saying a quick prayer and bracing himself as best as he could he entered the living room, the gun in his hand raised and ready.

" What the…" a man said and jumped up from the sofa where he had been sitting.

" Jean Luc!" Lucille, another member of the guild, yelled shocked.

" How dare you show yourself in this city?" Scott asked coldly as the man who had stood with his back turned next to Scott's chair turned around and a pair of dark sunglass covered eyes stared at him.

" I always thought you a fool, 'father', though never such a big one," Remy said coldly, his voice like steel, hatred clear in his tone.

" Revenge can make a man do many things he used to find horrid," Jean Luc said, his voice just as cold. His own flesh and blood had turned on him. Scott was one thing but his own son?!

" Yes, it can," Remy moved his hand to his glasses and Jean Luc remembered back to when he had removed the body from Remy and Scott's old place. The body had had his head shoot clean off. Had Remy done that? With his eyes? Acting on reflex as he thought himself in danger, Jean Luc lifted his gun and aimed for Remy.

" Not this time, 'Judas'," Jean Luc yelled as he pulled the trigger.

" NOOOO!" Scott yelled and jumped out of his chair and knocked Remy to the floor. Acting on instinct, only fearing for his brother's life, Scott lifted his red glasses and a red beam left his eyes and hit Jean Luc in the chest. The power of the beam knocked Jean Luc into the wall.

" Scott. You alright, bother?" Remy asked as he helped Scott to his feet.

" Yeah," his eyes were fixed on what was left of Jean Luc. He had killed a man. Again. Maybe it was true what they said; mutants were dangerous monsters. At least he was. Suddenly he noticed the dead silence in the room, all eyes fixed on him.

" What?" his inner battle made his voice sharp.

" You killed a man, a former member of the Guild. Inside the city limits," Remy whispered softly, death in his voice.

Part 5:

" This is not fair! He was only protecting me," Remy protested hotly as the Guild held meeting in the grand stone hall. For now, the Guild master chair stood empty. Remy and Scott stood before the chair on the heightened podium while the Guild members stood around the podium.

" The law is the law. There can be no exceptions," Pierre said quietly and Remy couldn't believe his ears. This was the man who had protected and helped him all through his childhood and now he was selling out his brother?!

" Remy, it is alright," Scott said quietly.

" No, it is not," Remy argued frustrated. Scott leaned closer to him.

" There is nothing you can do, brother," Scott whispered softly. Remy's eyes swept over the Guild members, all wore grim looks. He couldn't find just one sympatic eye among them. They'll execute their verdict over Scott with or without his consent.

" I know," Remy admitted, tears burning behind his shaded eyes. Scott forced a smile for him before he drew him into a hug.

" You know what to do, brother," Scott whispered in his ear. Remy began to shake his head fanatically but Scott continued; " Look after your brother, keep him safe. Run the Guild as you were always meant to and remember me from time to time. You and Alex have and will always mean the world to me; I love you two very much. Take care, my brother," Scott whispered, his voice sounding as if he was about to break down but his posture and shaded eyes gave nothing about his inner conflict away.

" I will do as you ask, brother, though doing what I must breaks my heart. I will never forget you and I shall always love you, brother," tears were in his words but not his eyes as Remy drew back and moved a little away from Scott. They both knew what had to be done; both knew there was no other way though still they both wished for a miracle which would keep their family together. Remy was both glad and sad that Alex was at a school mate's house this weekend; glad because then he'll never see this moment which would haunt Remy forever though sad because now he'll never have the chance to say farewell to his brother.

Remy took a deep breath and forced his lips to form words;

" Vous avez déshonoré cette guilde et votre position de maître de la guilde. A partir de ce jour, vous n'avez plus de place dans cette guilde, dans ma maison ou dans mon coeur [You have disgraced this Guild and your position as Guild master. From this day you no longer have any place in this Guild, my house or heart]," the traditional words came in easy Cajun French. Remy removed his sunglasses; needing Scott to see what he really meant in his eyes and by Scott's small forced smile he knew that he understood and forgave him for what he had to do.

" Vous n'avez aucune place ici où dans n'importe quel autre lieu associé à cette guilde. Quittez la Nouvelle-Orléans cette nuit et ne revenez plus jamais. Partez maintenant et sachez que pour cette guide et pour moi vous n'êtes plus un leader, un membre ou un frêre. Partez, homme mort, et ne revenez jamais. [You have no place here or anywhere else associated with this Guild. Leave New Orleans tonight and never come back again. Go now and know that to this Guild and me you are no longer a leader, member or brother. Go, dead man, and never return]," Remy's hand moved up and backhanded Scott with such force that Scott's head flew to the side and Scott knew that all Remy's aguish over what he had to do had gone into that stroke. Scott turned his head back and wiped the blood away from his split lip and his lips formed the words;

" It is alright, brother," before Remy turned his back on him in the traditional sign between the Guild when a member was ashamed over another's actions. Scott forced himself to hold his head high as the members of the Guild formed two lines, which Scott moved through on his way to the door. When he passed each member they'll turn their back on him; saying without words that he wasn't welcome in the Guild or in their homes anymore. Never had the walk from the podium to the door been so long as it was today. Finally Scott reached the door and feared that if he had to say just one word, he'll break down crying.

"Votre poignard [Your dagger]," Pierre who stood last in the row of members asked softly and Scott forced himself to hand over the symbol of his honour and leadership. He had never thought it would hurt so much when Pierre broke the dagger in two; showing his destroyed honour for all to see. He threw the two pieces of the thin dagger on the floor and stepped on them. Scott felt like it was his heart Pierre was stepping on. He had never known respect like what he had found as leader of the Guild. And now he had lost it all. He knew who was behind it too; Elizabeth. Even if it took forever, Scott vowed, he would see her dead so he could dance on her grave. Tears of humiliation burned in his eyes. Before he had been made leader he had known no respect save from his brothers. Back then he would have been able to take this humiliation because he had tried it before, he had known it was what he had to take. But now where he had gotten respect from these people it hurt beyond words to see them all turn away from him in disgust. Scott forced himself to look Pierre in the eyes as he spoke again;

" Partez, homme mort, et ne revenez jamais. [Go, dead man, and never return]," the words were soft and low but they felt like a yell or blow to Scott. Pierre then too turned his back on Scott. Scott's shaded eyes looked at the members, all had their backs turned on him but most of all his eyes found Remy. His back was straight and he held himself up as a true leader; proud and strong. I have taught him well, Scott thought with a hint of affection. Then he forced his feet to move as he left the hall and knew he was also leaving his brothers behind. Only if it was a matter of honour was Scott allowed to return and such an honour matter would demand Remy or Alex's death. Therefore Scott wished he would never return to New Orleans ever again or see his brothers again for only if one of his brothers were dead or Remy had lost leadership would he have a chance of contacting them without facing certain death. As he wished neither death nor that humiliation and uncertainty that he had been put through today; Scot wished he never saw neither of his brothers ever again though it broke his heart in two to even think the thought. Remy had to stay as leader; otherwise they would all be on the streets. Alex didn't deserve that and neither did Remy. No, Alex had a shoot at a real good future and Remy for finally becoming someone. That should not be ruined by his own desires to keep his brothers with him. The heavy wood door closed behind him and as Scott had left the building, tears fell down his cheeks for brothers lost.

Part 6:

" I bring news to the Princess," the runner said as he stood outside Bella Donna's bedroom, two Honour Gourds standing on each side of the door.

" What is the news?" Cassandra asked softly. She had taken care of Bella Donna since childhood and had luckily enough been out of New Orleans when the massacre had occurred.

" Scott has been thrown out of the Guild," the runner reported.

" That is good news. It will please Bella," Cassandra said, a small smile on her lips. She was loosing her baby girl, her Princess, but now at least she could go with the peace she had wished for.

" There is more. Remy Lebeau is not dead as we first assumed. He has been made new Guild master," the runner told her and the young man's eyes filled with sympathy for his Princess.

" Oh, God," Cassandra gasped. It was true then. That street rat has set Bella up.

" Shall I tell her the news?" Henri asked, hatred in his voice for the man who had dared to harm his Princess, a woman-child he loved beyond words.

" No. I shall tell her," Cassandra said and knocked on Bella's door.

" Enter," came the weak reply. Cassandra entered and kneeled before Bella's bed.

" You may raise," Bella rasped weakly and Cassandra got tears in her eyes for the pain her baby was in.

" I bring news," Cassandra said softly. What should she say? Her Princess was dying, the Guild was shattered all over the place and Scott wasn't even dead. Worse than that; Remy wasn't dead.

" Let me have it," Bella demanded and as Cassandra neared her bed she could see that Bella held a photo of Remy in her hands.

" We received news that Scott has been thrown out of the Thieves Guild," Cassandra said.

" Is he dead?" Bella asked and her eyes lit up. Finally she'll have her revenge over her beloved's murder. A small pause then,

" Yes," Cassandra lied and tears ran down her cheeks.

" Good, good," Bella whispered softly. " Anything else?"

" No. Nothing, princess," Cassandra whispered sadly. Nothing at all.

" You may leave," Bella said weakly and Cassandra curtsied and left the room.

Bella let her fingers run over the photo of Remy in her hands.

" Beloved, I said I'll get my revenge. Now, you can rest in peace. And I..." tears ran down the young girl's face. "...And I can join you. Forever together, beloved. Forever together...in death."

The sun entered the room and got reflected in the tears on the girl's cheeks and in her glimmering diamond ring. In death she looked her young age; her hands folded over her chest, the photo of her beloved pressed against her heart. On her lips a small smile lit up her face because she knew; that in death she'll be joining her beloved. And they'll be together. Forever and always.

Night overtook day and the last rays of the sun disappeared.

Epilogue:

" I hear you're the man for the job," the woman said. The man who sat in the chair opposite her big wooden desk nodded.

" Yes. I'll do as you ask and believe me; it'll be my pleasure," Henri said, a smile made up from grief, love and hate on his lips.

" Why do you hate Scott so much?" Elizabeth asked curiously. The man reminded her of Jean Luc; she could use him the same way as she had done with the former Guild leader.

" I do not. I hate Remy," Henri said hotly. That street rat should have stayed dead. Now, Henri would make sure he never forgot the pain Bella Donna had been in before she had finally found some kind of peace in dead.

" Hmm. Just you get the job done and soon," Elizabeth warned. This man's obsession matched her own though with a different bother and Elizabeth wasn't sure she liked that.

" I will," Henri promised.

" Remember, I want it to look like an Assassin job," Elizabeth added as Henri stood to go. Elizabeth could say her desires so clearly and out loud because she was clever enough to always have alibis and never be seen with her companions on the wrong side of the law.

" Don't worry. I'll kill Remy's brother in a way which makes it impossible for the Thieves Guild to NOT rage war on the Assassins and then I'll finally be able to kill that street rat!" Henri said hotly, hate in his voice and eyes.

" I can't find Scott but his brothers have always been his weak link. Let him suffer as I have. Alex is to be dead within one year," Elizabeth ordered and made a dismissive gesture.

" It will be done," Henri promised and looked forth to killing the boy. It'll bring Remy almost as great pain as what his beloved Princess had gone through. And then...then he'll kill him. Personally. Elizabeth could have the other brother; Henri just wanted Remy.

" Everything falls down, my friend. Everything," Elizabeth whispered almost to herself, a small smile on her lips that made the blood freeze in Henri's veins. He quickly existed her office and disappeared into the night.

Something was cooking in the old city of New Orleans and it wasn't anything good.

Soon, there would be no turning back as everything was put on the line.

The End


	5. Lost And Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott tries to find out what to do next as he is without status and his brothers.

**Lost And Alone**

What should he do? Where the fuck should he go? No matter what he did those thoughts kept coming back to haunt him and for the first time he didn't know; he had no fucking clue what to do and that scared him more than anything else. For the first time in his life he was truly alone and he found he hated the stillness, the loneliness more than anything in this world.

He wanted to cry, to hit something, do anything, he didn't know what he wanted. He wanted to yell out, to kick and scream…. yet he stayed silent. His thoughts went morbid ways as he wondered if anyone would know or even care if he died right here, right now. He wondered if he'd even get his name on the tombstone. He felt so alone and so lost as he never had before.

As he had been ordered he had left New Orleans but not before he had gone back to the big house he had been able to call his for a few months; the Guildmaster's mansion. He wasn't allowed to stay in New Orleans at all, not even to pick up his stuff but he knew Remy wouldn't change the access codes for the Mansion for a long time; maybe he never would. He had put some clothes, a blanket, a toothbrush and some food in a bag before he had entered the kitchen to write a small note to Remy and Alex. He had found some money he had saved up in the livingroom and had taken it with him. In his note to his brothers he had wanted to say how much he loved them, how much he'll miss them and how he wished all the best for them but no word wanted to be put down on paper. He had fought against tears as he had ever since Remy had 2 hours earlier been forced to cast him out as Guild master and a member of the Guild and his family. All Scott really wanted to do was cry for weeks and yell for help from anyone who wanted to listen but there was no one to listen, no one to care; not anymore. Finally Scott had just written;

" My brothers,

I'll always love you.

Don't forget me

Scott"

Then he had hurried out of the room and out of the Mansion never to return. He hadn't even turned 18 yet but he felt like he was over 100 years old as he walked down the street heading out of town. He had walked for hours and now he was finally out of town. He could have taken a bus out of town but he knew he'd need all the money he had with him later and then…he felt like he had needed some air, to be alone with his thoughts. As he had walked through the city, his small bag on his back he had wondered why no one could see his pain, he wondered about all the people who passed him by and didn't give him a second thought. When he had finally left New Orleans behind he was sure that people in general were the cruellest creatures on Earth. He had been so consumed by his bitterness that he hadn't noticed a red sports car with a middle-aged woman by the wheel stop up beside him.

" Where're you heading?" she asked. Her face wasn't all that unpleasant but he knew the look in her eyes well. Too well.

" Home," he said but thought; ' Nowhere. Nowhere at all.'

" Oh," she just said and her face fell as she speeded away.

He stared after her for a while before he began walking again, not quite sure where he was heading. It was getting dark and his feet were sore, he had to rest soon. He tried to think of nothing but all the day's events kept coming back to him. To think so much could change in such a short time. He felt tears burn in his eyes and this time he let them fall. Damn it all to Hell, he cursed silently and angrily wiped the tears away, which kept falling. He needed to think of the future and not the past but whenever he closed his eyes all he saw was Alex's trusting face and Remy standing with his back turned to him, showing him away.

No, he had to think of the future. What should he do? What could he do? He knew the obvious answer to that. He had done it before and he could do it again; he could sell himself, sell his body, as he had done for some years already. For some reason the very thought seemed so repulsive to him that he almost flinched. Before he had been made Guild master, felt what it was like to be on top, to be respected, he hadn't thought of it as wrong or repulsive. It had been a job; a way to get by, something that was necessary. He had never enjoyed it; had always loathed their touch and eager fingers but he had been able to close himself off to thoughts like that. The woman who had stopped next to him had seen him like he was; a young man with no past and no future, a young man ready to do anything for money. He had needed that money she would have paid and he was experienced enough to spot a returning customer and she had been just that. Though he had turned her away without even a thought. Why? Because he had felt respect, because he had felt he could be someone, something more, something better. Before there had been little he wouldn't do for money; now the only thing where he had any real experience with which to earn money was out of the question. Which left him with the same question as he had started with; what should he do? How would he get by? He considered options; he could get a job but it needed to be as an illegal worker because if he was inside the system they would know he wasn't legal yet and that Jack, his and Alex's foster father, had been missing for a long time. Then Alex would be taken from Remy and he himself would be taken away as well.

As he came to a point where the road split in two he knew the most pressing matter was finding out where in the country he wanted to go to. He had no family besides his brothers and he didn't even have them anymore and he had no friends. Wherever he went he would be just another runaway; forgotten and overlooked by the system. He thought for a while. New York. He would go to New York. He had always wanted to see the Statue Of Liberty so…. New York it was. Finding a kind of peace over at least having found a direction to head in, he walked on with renewed strength. He soon came to a bus station and brought a ticket to its end station, heading towards New York. He figured if he saved on his money, took a bus or train when he had cash enough and stole what he needed in the towns he came to, he would be in New York in a month's time.

The End


	6. Finding Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott meets Xavier in the hospital and Scott becomes Xavier's first student.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Misty because she's my Blue Angel and for Beta reading this piece. Thanks so much, sugah *big hug*
> 
> Thanks to Cullen for the read through and Estelle for the Beta.
> 
> *mmmm * is telepathically thoughts spoken in the mind. " mmmmm " is spoken out loud.

**Finding Hope**

Professor Charles Xavier was on his way down the corridor of Saint Mary's hospital. He wasn't really a doctor but worked there as a councillor to troubled and runaway children. Since he had lost the use of his legs Xavier came to help out in the free clinic here at St. Mary's public hospital and offered his skills as a psychologist. Though it was mainly because of charity he did it, it was also very much because if he wanted to find candidates, mutants, for his school, his X-men, he needed someone…lost, someone who was alone. Someone who wouldn't be missed. Many street kids and runaways were brought to St. Mary's and Xavier visited them all.

2 days ago a boy of some 17 or 18 years had been brought to the hospital with a drug overdose. The doctors had succeeded in saving the young boy's body and now it was his turn to try and save the boy's mind. This boy was of particular interest to him as he was a mutant. A very shocked ambulance driver had told him that they had removed his red shades in the ambulance to look into his eyes which had resulted in one of the men almost getting his head shot clean off as the young boy had unknowingly blasted his red beams at him. Fortunately only the roof of the ambulance had been damaged. Xavier didn't like to do it but to protect the child he had entered the driver and his men's minds and let them believe the hole in the roof was an accident; there had been no mutant and nothing unusual about the young man they had just brought in. Xavier needed to talk with this boy and hopefully get him to come with him before the cops took him away to question him. Xavier had already talked with the police about him and the charges for attempted murder in the ambulance had been dropped but he was still to be questioned in relation to another case, something about a murder in New Orleans.

There were already guards outside his room and the boy was tied to the bed but for a telepath of his strength it was a small matter to make himself invisible to the guards' eyes. As Xavier came into the room he sensed the boy was awake though he didn't move, didn't talk not even his breathing changed its rate.

" Good morning," Xavier said politely as he wheeled over beside the boy's bed. He got no motion from the young man in the bed. " I know you're awake," Xavier added, light amusement in his voice.

" Are you not afraid of the 'dangerous' mutant?" the boy asked sarcastically and nodded towards his tied hands with his head.

" Should I be?"

Scott's eyes narrowed behind the glasses.

" Don't pull that shit with me," his voice was bitter and low.

Okay, this conversation wasn't running like he had planned it to, Xavier thought. This boy was a quick thinker and didn't take crap from anyone. He could sense hostility but no real fear from him. He would diffidently be a great asset to his cause. He had to have this boy.

" I mean you no harm," Xavier tried to reassure him.

" Yeah, right," Scott mumbled.

" I know you have been through a lot in your life but…" he tried again.

" You know nothing about me so don't pretend you do," Scott bid him off.

Okay, I need another approach with this boy, Xavier thought. His usual approach might not work here. The boy was very guarded and distrustful. Most likely he trusted no one save himself. He has to somehow gain his confidence and trust in order to get him to come with him. Being forceful and bossy would probably not work and only drive him away. Instead of a stick maybe he should for once try a carrot.

" You're absolutely right, I know nothing about you," Xavier could sense Scott's shock at his honesty. " But I want to know. I want to help you."

" Nobody wants to help me." The bitterness didn't go unnoticed by Xavier.

" I want to help you. That's what I'm doing here; trying to help. If you want me to I will leave. Do you want me to leave, Scott?" Xavier asked softly. Scott's answer was long in coming.

" Whatever," he mumbled. Xavier could have cheered for that little bit of willingness.

" I want to help you get off the streets. I have a mansion where…" Xavier began.

" I don't do that kind of stuff anymore. Find yourself another boy," Scott said flatly, cutting him off.

" You misunderstand me," Xavier got out while blushing deeply. " I want to teach you, help you with your powers," he tried to explain.

" Why?" Scott asked suspiciously.

" Because…well, I'm a mutant too," Xavier settled with.

" Really?" disbelief and a clear nonchalant tone were in his voice.

* Yes, I'm really a mutant* a voice said in his mind. A look of shock crossed Scott's face.

" Get the Hell out of my mind!" Scott demanded hotly and instinctually tore at his restrains.

" I wasn't in your mind. I didn't read your thoughts or your memories," Xavier explained.

" Bloody hell," he swore, one of the few curses he remembered from his English mother. " Stay out of my head, telepath, and we will get along just fine," Scott demanded, anger in his voice.

" Okay, I shall not speak telepathically with you unless it is absolutely necessary," Xavier promised.

" Good," Scott bummed.

They sat in silence for a while.

" Why did you try to kill yourself?" Xavier asked, trying for a soft tone of voice.

" What the fuck is it to you?"

" I'm here to help you, Scott. To do that I need to know," Xavier explained. He badly wanted this powerful boy on his side but he hadn't come this far by being careless. He needed to know exactly who and what he was up against. Knowledge was power and knowledge about others gave power over them as well.

Scott shrugged.

" It seemed like a good idea at the time."

" Life is precious. It shouldn't be thrown away so casually," Xavier reproved.

" Life is previous if you're high and mighty and not living on the streets, stealing to survive, nowhere to go, so blasted cold you fear you'll not wake up the next morning. Then life is NOT precious; it is Hell," Scott said bitterly, pained experience in his voice.

" Do you often take drugs?" Xavier asked quietly, not knowing what else to say. He was everything this boy was not; he was Mr. High and Mighty. Had he even cared for all those lost and forgotten children before he had had use for them?

" From time to time," Scott shrugged again or as best he could with the restrains on. " It is a way to escape."

Xavier checked Scott's naked arms and found only one mark after a needle, probably from his overdose 2 days ago. On his upper right arm, near his shoulder Scott had 2 small Chinese signs tattooed into his skin.

" What do they mean?" Xavier couldn't help but ask. Scott turned his head to try to see the tattoos himself.

" The red one means 'alone' and the black one means 'brother'," Scott explained.

" Why did you choose those signs?" Xavier asked and wondered if they were gang signs.

" None of your business," there were no heat in his words though the warning was clear.

" Will you come and live with me?" Xavier asked again. " I will help you use your powers for good; to help others. I will help you get an education, to become someone. Wouldn't you like that?" Before Scott could answer he added; " There is no charge and no force. You can leave any time you want."

" Everything has a price," Scott said but thought about it. " Can you get me off the hook with the cops? I was told I killed a man." I killed a man again, he added silently. Damn, he hated being a mutant. Well, he hated most things right now but anyway.

" I can help you. I have connections. And you didn't kill a man. Nobody died. I will make sure no one remembers you were here," Xavier promised.

" Nice power that one; to manipulate people," Scott commented and Xavier didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not.

" I don't like to enter people's minds without permission but sometimes I have little choice."

" There is always a choice even if one of them means death; it is still a choice," Scott said quietly and Xavier wondered if he had read many books because that line reminded him of a well known philosopher he had read about on University.

" What is your name, by the way?" Xavier asked and the boy actually laughed out loud.

" Your deep, personal involvement just blows me away," Scott said sarcastically before he continued, " I'm Scott. Scott Summers."

" I'm Charles Xavier," Xavier said and was to give Scott his hand as he remembered his restrains.

" I don't suppose you'll let me out of here without me going with you?" Scott asked.

" I wasn't planning on it," Xavier said lightly. If the show in the ambulance was any indication this boy was extremely powerful and could be very dangerous. He wanted to believe in him, believe he could trust him, but pained experience had taught him the high price of misplaced trust; it was that way he had lost the use of his legs.

" Thought not," Scott took a deep breath.

He had lived on the streets for a few months now and he knew the dangers of going with strangers well enough. He had met a young, scared girl a few times in one of the shelters. She had been pretty enough with some white to her brown hair but with that haunted look in her eyes all the kids had which made them seem years older. She had been fanatically afraid of any human touch at all and Scott thought she had probably been raped to fear touch so much. She hadn't even trusted anyone enough to give her first name; she had just called herself Rogue. He had seen her and observed her from a distance a few times but suddenly she had stopped coming to the shelter and he hadn't seen her anywhere else. She was most likely dead now, probably because she had been desperate enough to go with a stranger. Just like he was to do now. But there was a difference; he didn't care what the fuck happened to him but he remembered that in her eyes, Rogue's eyes, he had seen a strong will to live no matter what happened and that he had admired.

On the other hand he wanted what Xavier had mentioned; he wanted to get off the streets; he wanted respect again, he wanted to be able to look himself in the mirror again and see a man he could bear to live with, he wanted to fight for something worth fighting for, he wanted to be able to say he had done something with his life when he died, that he had meant something for someone.

Scott looked Xavier up and down; that he was in a wheelchair made him no less dangerous; with the power of his mind he would be able to make him say, think, remember and do anything he wanted him to. It was either downright stupidity that made Scott say the next words…or a natural trust towards this man that made him say what he did;

" I will come with you."

" Good but I'll warn you; I do not tolerate drugs in my home. I'll help you get over your addition to them but it will not be pretty; it'll be a long, hard and painful road to walk but I believe you're clever enough to be able to thank me when your mind is freed from their influence," Xavier warned.

" I understand. I'll still come with you."

Scott had never liked drugs and was mad at himself for taking them. He wanted to be clean but couldn't do it alone, he had tried and failed several times; maybe this time he would succeed.

" I will also teach you in different subjects. Can you read?" Xavier asked as he undid Scott's restrains.

" A little. I read better French than I do English," Scott explained. After his mother's death he hadn't read anything but French.

" You speak French and English?" Xavier asked impressed.

" Yes."

" Have you been to High School?"

" No," Scott answered and as Xavier had undid the last of the restrains he jumped to the floor. He turned back to Xavier and walked next to his wheelchair out the room and down the hall. As Xavier had promised no one stopped them and even if some remembered he had been to the hospital he would be hard to find, as he had never given his name. Soon Scott sat in a limousine on the way to Xavier's mansion. He felt a little unease not only because the last time he had been in a limo had been with Elizabeth who he was also sure had set him up to kill Jean Luc but also because he truly didn't know what was to happen next. He knew there was a price to pay for Xavier's help and just hoped it wouldn't be a too large one. As the limousine stopped before the big mansion Scott helped Xavier out of the car.

" This is your home now, Scott," Xavier said and Scott couldn't help but smile. It reminded him of the Guildmaster's mansion. Maybe in this house he would find respect again, find himself again. There was a price to pay for something this big, he knew that, but right now he didn't care. He finally had a chance to become someone again, to be someone and he wouldn't let it pass. Maybe, just maybe, there was still reason to hope for surely; now he had a reason to live.

The end


	7. Desperate Times...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy goes to Magneto for help and is surprised to see a man he believes to be his brother, Scott.

**Desperate Times…**

Remy felt like it was 100ths of years since last he had truly rested, since last he had been at ease. It wasn't since he had had both his brothers safely with him he had slept a whole night through. It was now almost 2 years ago he had taken over leadership of the Guild from Scott. Though he had always pulled his end of the deal when Scott and him had fought to provide for themselves and Alex, Scott had always taken care of him, been the one he would come to for help. Now, he was in control of a whole organisation and everyone expected him, a boy who was barely a man, to know all the answers. Things had gone all right though he had been concerned about the Assassins apparent silence. The Assassins Guild was known for their revengefulness and if a whole massacre, among others on their Guildmaster and their Princess, his own beloved Bella Donna, wasn't provocation enough, nothing was. No, they would strike back, Remy was sure of it. Had he known just how hard they would strike back he would have taken Alex and ran away forever. He had tried to get a conversation through to the Assassins Guild but had been brushed off through all channels. They had been planning something…and now he knew what.

Remy took forth an old picture of him with Scott and a young smiling Alex. His brothers…both meant so much to him, both were all he had in this world…and both were gone. Gone. Tears sprung to his eyes and fell down his cheeks. To say farewell so cruelly to a brother as he had been forced to do with Scott was a memory which haunted him still but Alex…sweet, innocent Alex who Scott and him had always fought to protect…Alex who was supposed to outlive them all, who was supposed to be better than all of them, who was supposed to be the one to bury him…yet, here he stood before a fresh grave and not just any grave; his brother's grave; Alex's grave.

Remy knelt before Alex's tombstone and laid the white lilies he had brought him on the gravesite. He looked around; Alex's grave was below a weeping willow and next to him was Bella Donna's grave. To Bella Donna's right side laid her father. Bella Donna's grave was empty as Remy had never found her body but her father was there. To Alex's right was an empty spot; waiting for his brothers to join him in death. As Remy turned to his left he could see his Honour guards standing in safe distance to him; the guards had more than doubled after Alex's murder.

Remy closed his eyes and tears forced their way through his closed lids. He tried not to remember, he fought to forget yet the memory which had haunted his every waking moment since it had happened 3 days ago returned to him; his concern when Alex had not come home from school as he should, the report that Alex's Honour guards had been found dead, their throats sliced in Asian manner, how he had gone out after Alex, how he had found him…oh God, how he had found him; blood dripping to the ground from his beaten and bruised body, how he had been hang up on a fence next to the roadside….God, his brother…..dear brother mine, Remy thought sadly and broke down crying hysterically. This was so unfair; this wasn't supposed to happen! Alex had been supposed to outlive them all, God damn it. God damn it!

Remy sat like that on his kneels before his brother's grave for a long time until his eyes dried out and the sun disappeared. A determined look entered his red on black eyes. He took forth his dagger and cut a deep line in his right hand before he closed it and let some blood drip onto Alex's grave.

" This I swear to you, brother; I shall avenge you even if it's then the last thing I do!" he vowed.

Part 2:

" I hear you need my help," Magneto said as Remy came to him, surrounded by several Honour guards.

" I do," Remy answered and let Magneto lead him inside the big complex Magneto had built here in the Savage Land.

" What can I then help you with? Nothing is free you know," Magneto asked.

" I know that quite well," Remy said darkly. Oh, he knew the price of things very well. " I need guns. The Thieves Guild is on the brig of war with the Assassins and we need more firepower," Remy explained.

" You can buy all you need from me for a modest fee, of course," Magneto said.

" What do you want?"

" Steal the codes to Nasa's space program 'Micura' and bring them to me," Magneto demanded. Those codes would gain him access to the main frame and from there after a little code breaking to the satellite Micura and with that under his control he would be able to see what every government on Earth was planning. In a few months no one would be able to sneak up on him, ever.

" Done," Remy agreed. He didn't know what Magneto wanted with the codes and frankly he didn't care. All he wanted was his revenge. He wasn't entirely sure the Assassins was behind all this as no new leader had been appointed after Bella Donna's father had been murdered but it was the Assassins memo. Remy had a nasty feeling though that Elizabeth had something or another to do with this. Rich, mad women were the first people on his "kill" list, Remy thought darkly.

" Good. I'll send the guns to you as soon as I get the codes," Magneto said and they shook hands on the deal that had been underway for a few weeks now.

" You'll have them in 2 days, tops," Remy promised. Just in the line of his vision Remy saw some people, among them Magneto's two children board a big black bird looking plane. He was to turn back to Magneto as the man who seemed to lead them caught his attention. He was taller, more muscular, walked with an air of confidence and leadership but there was something about him…. if only he could see his face.

"Lebeau?" Magneto's voice brought Remy's attention back on him.

" Who is that man?" Remy asked as the birdlike plane flew off.

" The man who leads them?" Magneto asked.

" Yes."

" His name is Scott Summers. He used to be one of Xavier's people," Magneto explained, a note of triumph in his voice that he had succeeded in getting one of Xavier's people to his side.

" Scott?! Scott Summers?!" Remy said disbelieving, his heart beating wildly in his chest in pure joy. His brother, he had finally found his brother and this time; he could come with him home. This was an honour matter so finally Scott could come home. Oh, God, finally he was no longer alone. He had found him again.

" Yes," Magneto confirmed, baffled by Remy's interest in Scott.

" When will he be back?" Remy demanded to know.

" In 3 days time. You can see him when I have the codes," Magneto said and Remy forced himself to be calm. 3 days, just 3 days away.

" I'll be back with the codes in 2 days. Have him here," Remy demanded and knew it sounded like an order but didn't care. Finally, after almost 2 years, he would see his brother again!

**Epilogue:**

Life was truly strange sometimes, Elizabeth mused. She was so close to get her revenge over Scott Summers yet now she would never see his death…for she herself was dying from cancer. All the cigarettes, they had said. She didn't mind much; she had lived her life to the fullest; done everything money could give her; played with anything from money to human lives.

She had put her plan in works; Alex was dead, Scott would feel the pain she had felt in her life, the loneliness she had always suffered from. And then…. then he would die like she was to die. She didn't have to do anything anymore; the ball was on the roll and couldn't be stopped. The war that would surely spring between the Thieves and Assassins Guilds would solve her problem for her…and kill Scott. One way or another, he would die in that war, if not physically then mentally. And then…then he would feel what she had felt, her pain, and her despair. All her bitterness and hatred towards herself, her life and the world had been symbolised in one boy who had dared to defy her and for that…he would die as she was to die.

The End


	8. Desperate Actions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy goes to Magneto to finally see his brother again only to land in the middle of the Sentinels attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Timeline: Set in the Ultimate comic universe. Set during issue 5.
> 
> Dedicated to Estelle who Beta'd this series and who loves this series far more than I deserve *smiles* Thanks, lov.
> 
> Words in [mmm] are English translation to the French.

He would see him again. After several years apart he would finally see his brother again. Remy hadn't stopped smiling the whole day. Though even this happiness was clouded by the agony in his heart. Alex. His sweet, baby brother who had been so brutally robbed of his life while still a boy. His pain at this loss mixed with red hot hate and anger. He would see his brother avenged, he would see the Assassin's Guild fall even if it was then the last thing he did.

"Are we there yet?" Remy asked again, for what was surely the 10th time at least. He was with Pierre, 5 Honor Guards wearing the traditional uniform and the Guild's colors and a pilot onboard a helicopter the Thieves Guild owned. Well, they hadn't owned one yesterday but Remy had taken care of that. He would see his brother today so for just one day nothing was impossible. Finally he felt like things were turning out in his favor.

"We're still midair as you can see. We will be there in a few minutes," Pierre answered amused, a smile playing around his lips. He had been a close friend to both Scott and Remy and Scott's expulsion had pained him. He had promised himself that he would take care of Remy now that Scott couldn't. Remy had turned out to be a great Guild master but there were always some who would vote against him, for personal or political reasons. Pierre had remained one of Remy's greatest supporters and that hadn't gone unnoticed by Remy who had made Pierre his second in command.

"Do you…do you think he can recognize me?" Remy asked softly to his friend, for the first time worried. What if Scott didn't want to return? What if he had forgotten about him? What if he had changed? What if the close bond they had once shared was gone?

"I've seen your brother with both you and Alex, God rest his soul. Everything he did was for you. He would never forget," Pierre calmed his friend and lay a hand on his shoulder. Remy gave his hand a small squeeze as thanks.

"Putain de merde![French for 'What the fuck...?']" The pilot suddenly all but yelled. The Honor Guards held their weapons ready and moved to protect Remy, their bodies his shield and pointed their guns towards the windows of the helicopter, alert and ready.

"What is it?" Remy demanded to know, trying to see out of the chopper for himself.

"Guild master, look at the right side, 5 o'clock," one of the honor guards said, his voice barely concealing fear. Remy turned, looked and saw...a monster. A modern metallic monster flying past them towards...  
"Pilot, is their course towards Magneto's stronghold like ours?" Remy asked worried. His brother was down there! He held his breath in fear as the pilot answered.

"Yes, Guild master," the pilot answered.

"Hurry up! We must get to Magneto's stronghold as soon as possible!" Remy ordered, his throat tight with fear for his brother. He closed his eyes briefly; dear God, if I only have one request to make then please let this be it...don't let me be alone, don't take my only family away from me. Please, please let my brother be safe.

"Guild master, reconsider. It won't be safe. I strongly recommend turning back," John, the leader of his Honor Guard, asked of him. Remy shook his head in denial.

"And leave my brother?! Never!" he denied hotly, the denial and anger in his voice so strong John drew back from him. "Pilot, do as I asked. Get me to Magneto's stronghold. Now!"

The chopper gained speed and soon they could see Magneto's camp and it was under attack from the metal monsters they had seen flying past them. Looking down at Magneto's camp was like looking at a war film; total chaos, screams, blood and bodies everywhere.

"We'll never find him in this chaos," Pierre warned.

"We will. Land," Remy insisted, desperately searching for any signs of his brother.

"Guild master, you're putting yourself at risk," John tried again, sounding almost as desperate as Remy.  
"Then do your job and keep me safe," Remy snapped absentminded, focused on trying to locate his brother. The pilot landed and the Honor Guards exited the chopper and tried as best as they could to secure the surrounding perimeter. Without waiting for an all clear from John Remy jumped off the chopper, Pierre close by.

"Wait here for me," Remy ordered the frightened pilot who looked very unhappy about that but nodded all the same.

"Incoming! 3 o'clock," one of the Honor Guards yelled and Remy looked up to see one of the metal monsters flying towards them, firing at them from its 'hands'. Remy and Pierre drew their weapons and fired towards it.

"Protect the Guild master," John ordered and a ring of Honor Guards formed around Remy, guiding him away and towards what, at the moment, was safer ground. It was total chaos as they got closer to what had been Magneto's camp. There were struggles, screams, bodies, weapons being fired and noise worse than anything Remy had ever heard. All rational thoughts disappeared as they ran, his Guards staying close by him. Suddenly the metal monster shot a blast close by and sent one of his guards flying.

"Louis!" Remy yelled but as he turned and looked after him he saw the man's eyes were frozen in terror and his chest was a bloody mess.

"Go on!" John ordered and they ran on until they all but ran into a group of Magneto's mutants sending a rain of fire towards their attackers.

"Do they have a weak point?" Remy yelled at them to be heard over the noise.

"If they do we haven't found it yet," a young, beautiful woman dressed in red grimly answered. She must be Magneto's daughter, Remy figured, having seen Magneto's profile before he had made the weapon deal with him he had come to uphold.  
"Are you evacuating?" Remy yelled, searching for something, anything, he could use against the metal monsters. His mutant powers had developed and grown stronger with years and instead of his power being emitted only from his hands he could now also use his eyes but he needed something to 'lit'. He saw some nearby stones, held them in his arms, energized them and shot them towards the metal monsters. Seeing what he wanted to do Wanda used her powers to help his stones hit their mark and everyone cheered as one attacker fell.

"That was one Sentinel," Wanda said satisfied. Remy admitted that the fact that the attackers had a name worried him. Several Sentinels came around and fired at the group, making them shatter. Remy, Pierre and his surviving four Honor Guards were again left alone. Then, just as several Sentinels were on their way towards them all Sentinels stopped. Puzzled Remy tried to locate the reason why and saw Magneto flying away with all the Sentinels behind him.

"Bon sang, qu'est ce qu'il vient de se passer? [French for 'What the hell just happened?']" Pierre mumbled confused. Remy lifted his hands in a 'I don't know' gesture.

"He saved our lives, that's all I see. Everything else doesn't matter. Let's go find Scott," Remy insisted and the small group went back to where they saw several of Magneto's people standing. Remy recognized Wanda and Pietro; Magneto's children. As Remy looked around there were such destruction everywhere; burning buildings, broken bodies, people screaming in agony. The scene was too agonizing for Remy to even begin to feel anything...he just felt numb. He knew if he began to think of all the agony he had seen here today he would break down so instead he concentrated on the one single thing which had occupied his mind since they had parted; how to get his brother back. That was all that mattered, all he would let matter.

"Thanks for your help," Wanda said as Remy caught up with her.

"Welcome. Look, I'll let you use my chopper to fly your wounded to a hospital but first tell me; where is Scott Summers?"

"Why?" She wanted to know, suspicion in her tone. First now did she remember that she didn't know who he was, didn't even know his name.

"I'm Remy Lebeau. I had a deal with your father. Anyway, I'm Scott's brother," Remy quickly explained, anxious to see his brother again.

"Scott never told me he had a brother."

He had two brothers, Remy thought sadly but quickly let the thought go. He couldn't think about Alex now. He needed to find his brother.

"He doesn't talk much. Look, are we gonna hold a conference here on my brother's psyche while your people die or are you gonna tell me what I want to know?" Remy's patience was at an end as his anxiety for his brother went into overdrive.

"Your brother was with us..." she began. Remy almost died at her use of 'was'. Oh, no...he's dead. He's dead...

"...but he went after Magneto. I think he'll go back to Xavier now," she concluded and since they had walked while they had talked they had reached a wounded girl who Wanda bent down to tend to.

He was alive! Scott was alive! Remy kissed Wanda on the cheek in sheer joy. He was alive! His brother was alive! Back with Xavier...then that was where Remy would seek him out and this time he would see his brother no matter the cost.

"Pierre, John. Help with the wounded. We're flying them to the hospital," Remy ordered, a smile on his lips over the thought that his brother was safe. The Guards quickly began to follow his order, sure that Remy was safe though still keeping a close eye on him.

"And Scott?" Pierre asked as he helped Remy carry a wounded man towards the chopper which, thank god, hadn't been destroyed during the raid.

"I'll pay him a visit real soon. As soon as we have taken care of the wounded and I've found out exactly where he is...this time I will see him, Pierre. I know it," Remy softly told him while he tried to figure out how badly injured the man in his arms was. He was bleeding from a shoulder wound and a leg wound. He would be fine...as Scott was fine. They would meet soon. Real soon. And then they would make everything alright...Scott would know what to do and Remy would never be alone again.

"In a few days, Pierre. In a few days I'll see my brother again!"

The End


	9. Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally…the reunion of brothers; Remy and Scott are finally together again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Minisinoo because she inspired me with her story "Chocolate Milk"
> 
> Dedicated to: Jemisard. Your words are as beautiful as your mind.

**Together Again**

This was it. Finally Remy would see his brother again. He had counted the weeks...Hell; he had even counted the days. And today was the day. It hadn't been hard to find Xavier's School in New York; there was the only one of its kind. Its name "Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters" made Remy sure it was a school for mutants just like Magneto had said. It was rather obvious, he couldn't understand why everyone couldn't see it but then maybe Xavier paid those off who got too curious. Remy hadn't stopped worrying for Scott even though he now knew he was at a school. After all what kind of a man would use all his money to build a school? No one did anything for free so he would have a price. Remy just wondered if that price was being in his private army or...if he ever found out that Xavier had used Scott in any way...beat him...or worse, raped him...he would kill him with his bare hands...slowly!

Forcing himself to take slow breaths Remy fought to get his rage and fear under control. Nothing was certain yet. Nothing. He wasn't even sure how Scott would feel about seeing him again. Would he be happy? Relieved? Or was he glad to be out? What if he had been brainwashed? What if he had changed? What if...? No, stop it! Remy mentally ordered himself. He was almost there. This worrying was getting him nothing but a headache.

Remy drove his silver Jaguar around a corner and had to admire the beautiful and big mansion Xavier owned. There had to be a lot of good stuff to steal in there.

It had been Hell trying to convince Pierre to stay behind but in the end he had succeeded though his Honour Guards and Pierre had followed him towards Xavier's until there were only five minutes drive to the mansion and John, the leader of his Guard, had reluctantly followed Remy's orders and let him continue on his own. Only after several promises of being careful ...and a reminder of where the line between second in command and friend began and ended.…had Remy succeeded in getting Pierre to stay behind.

He ran his fingers over thesteering wheel, feeling his sweaty palms. He had stolen this great car for just this occasion. Scott had always wanted a silver Jaguar. But then after the news he would have to tell him...their sweet brother Alex... Innocent Alex...gone... There wasn't really any point in pretending there would be much joy left in Scott after he had heard the terrible news of their younger brother. The thoughts of the still open wound and pain of Alex's death made Remy frown when he walked up the stairs to the front door of the mansion and rang the bell. He hoped Scott was there. He hoped Scott remembered him. He hoped he hadn't changed...

Part 2:

"Ring, ring."

Scott sighed as he heard the noise. He had been reading a book in one of the Mansion's studies but now stood and went to the front door. Who would come to the Mansion at…he looked at his watch…. 10 o'clock in the evening? He wondered as he walked through the house. The Professor, Ororo, Jean, Hank and Bobby followed him as Scott opened the front door. Outside stood a young man, maybe 17 years old but it was hard to tell. He could be 20 and he could be 16. He wore dark sunglasses, a long black leather jacket and a cigarette was in his hand. Behind him was a silver Jaguar parked. Excitement over seeing the car washed over Scott. He had always dreamt of driving a Jag. Who would know...? He looked closer at the man before him. He was higher, stood with an air of confidence and there was sadness in the lines of his face that made him look much older but he wasn't in doubt. This was the man he had dreamt of seeing for years! It was his brother; Remy. In the years they had been apart Scott had thought, wondered and worried for his brothers' safety. Was Alex well? Did he eat right? What kind of man was he growing into? And Remy...Did the members of the Guild respect him? Had he found someone new to love? Was he happy? So many questions he had thought he would never know the answers to. Now...now, he might actually have a chance of getting those answers and though he feared bad news he still prayed for good. Even though his fears for what Remy and Alex had been through hang on his mind it couldn't overshadow his joy at seeing Remy again. How many times hadn't he wished for this? Hadn't he dreamt this? His only wish since his separation from Remy and Alex had been to see them again. Joy washed through him as sweet spring water. He was here. Remy was actually here! He couldn't believe this. He had to be dreaming.

Remy's face seemed to light up when he saw Scott and some of the lines in his face melted away. For the first time since last he had seen Remy Scott smiled, a warm and genuine smile. He wanted nothing more than to hug Remy close and never let him go but he couldn't. He had never trusted Xavier; it had been a deal, a trade. His loyalty and work as a soldier for the safety Xavier's money would bring. All things fair he had felt a sense of...gratitude towards Xavier for helping him out of a life on the streets and giving him back a purpose but he had still disagreed so much with his methods he had eventually joined Magneto only to leave when he found that Xavier was the lesser of two evils after all. However Xavier didn't trust him, if he ever had and Scott trusted him even less. He had to be careful. The last thing he needed was for Remy to be caught in a web none of them could get out from. That was what had started all this; their debt to the Thieves Guild. He couldn't let Xavier and the others know who Remy was. His name was already well known and he feared someone might do his or her 'civil duty' and try and turn Remy in and if that happened...Scott didn't want more blood on his hands but he wouldn't see his brother in jail...ever.

" Pierre! How good to see you," Scott said warmly, thinking quickly and hoping Remy would play along. For the slightest flicker of a second Remy's face fell and Scott feared he hadn't caught on but then he went up and kissed Scott on each cheek in French manner. Only Scott could feel how Remy trembled, barely holding himself together and Scott gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before they drew apart.

" You too, Mon Ami," he answered, his voice thick with emotions and Scott gestured him inside, ignoring his teammates curious looks.

" Come, we can talk in the livingroom," Xavier said, curiosity in his voice and all went to the livingroom after Xavier.

Part 3:

" So, from where do you know Scott?" Xavier asked as they had exchanged the usual greetings and Remy was busy flirting with both Ororo and Jean.

" From…" Remy began, searching for a good answer and wondering how much Scott wanted to remain hidden. His eyes found Scott who almost unnoticeably shook his head. " From…back in the days," Remy settled with, a bit lamely.

" Was that your wheels I saw outside?" Ororo asked with a smile. A Jaguar was a car she really liked; she could sell them for a handsome sum.

" It sure was, ma petite," Remy said seductively, playing along in this polite game but itching to have a chance to talk with Scott alone.

"Volée [French for 'Stolen']?" Scott asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Qu'est-ce que tu vas penser là? [French for 'What do you think']?" Remy asked with a smile.

"J'espère que c'est pas trop chaud [French for 'I hope it isn't hot']," Scott mumbled as he remembered a time just a few weeks after Scott had taken over leadership of the Guild when Remy had just wanted to "take the car for a drive" and the police had chased them for miles.

" So, what is Pierre to you?" Jean asked, getting tired of understanding nothing. Why couldn't the French speak English like normal people anyway?

Scott wondered what to say. Should he say the truth? Why not? Pierre Summers wasn't wanted for anything because he didn't exist. Besides, he had learned that when telling lies it was best to stick as close to the truth as possible. And then he wouldn't feel right denying the thing he was most proud of; calling Remy and Alex his brothers.

" He is my brother," Scott explained shortly and Remy lit up in a smile, happy that Scott hadn't denied it.

" Makes sense," Ororo remarked. They both had brown hair and about the same built and height. Sure, could happen.

" Really?" Jean asked coldly. Something didn't seem right. It was just a...feeling she had but still. Something seemed...wrong. She got some strange feelings of Pierre.

" Well, we think so. Our mom never was quite sure which father went with who," Remy teased. The red-haired chick might dress street smart but he could spot a middleclass white girl when he saw one. She had probably been spoon feed with daddy's credit card until, horror; she had started to show those ugly mutant tendencies. What wouldn't the neighbors say? He shook his head. He had little respect for girls raised nice who wanted to try life on the wild side...but who had never actually been down and dirty...who had never lived the life they thought so cool.

He removed his glasses and all could see that his eyes were red on black; he was obviously a mutant.

" How nice," Jean said sarcastically.

" No doubt these two are related," Bobby mumbled, connecting Remy's eyes with Scott's.

"Je dois vraiment te parler, mon frère [French for 'I really need to speak to you, brother']" Remy said, a hint of desperation in his voice and Scott nodded.

" We need to talk for a while. Alone," Scott said to the others, a hint of worry in his voice as he left with Remy. Something had gone wrong, why else would Remy seek him out? Something terrible had happened; Scott could feel it in his heart.

" When you left…" Remy began as they walked through the mansion but Scott covered his mouth with his hand.

" Not here," he whispered and looked over his shoulder at the seemly empty hallway. Scott guided Remy outside the Mansion, and they walked to stand a few feet from Remy's car, both on instinct standing close to the escape opportunity it represented. " Okay, here we can talk."

Before Remy could say a word Scott gave him a big hug that Remy returned in kind. For a long while neither of them said anything. Then reluctantly Scott drew back and noticed tears on both his and Remy's cheeks; tears of joy.

"It's so good to see you, Remy. I've missed you. A lot," Scott admitted huskily and wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.

"I've missed you too," Remy said softly. That was the understatement of the year, he thought as he dried his tears. He had spent the better part of a year searching only for Scott. They smiled, for a while happy and content just being together again until reality came back to them and Remy grew grim.

" What is going on here, bro? Why did you call me Pierre?" Remy asked worried and looked around. They were seemly alone.

" I haven't told them about my past, Remy," Scott explained, running a hand through his brown hair.

" They can't be trusted?" Remy asked insightfully.

" No, they can't but it is the best hideout I can get," Scott said and frowned as he remembered something. He hadn't thought of it before, he had told himself he was seeing things he wanted to see but still... " Was it just me or did I see you at Magneto's place?"

" You did," Remy admitted.

" Why?" Scott asked sharply, fear making his tone sharp. " I thought we had agreed that Thieves Guild doesn't choose sides in wars not our own."

" I didn't choose a side for our people, Scott. I went there to buy weapons," Remy admitted softly, the pain of Alex's death flashing through him.

" We need weapons? Why?" Scott demanded to know, his heart pumping wildly in his chest in fear. Oh, no...something bad had happened. He knew it.

" That is why I had to see you. Assassins Guild has moved in on our territory. A war is unenviable," Remy said, his voice weak. He looked away, couldn't bear to look into Scott's eyes when he told him of Alex. He still blamed himself for his death and he feared Scott might blame him too.

" What else?" Scott demanded sharply. There was more. He could see it in his brother's face. Something in the way his face fell, something in the pure agony he could read there made his heart freeze to ice. Dear God, no. Not...

" They killed Alex," Remy admitted. " They killed our brother as a warning to us."

Oh, God. Alex was dead?! He didn't want to believe it, he wanted to scream at Remy that he was lying but the pure agony and sorrow in his face told Scott it was the truth. But Alex...? Sweet Alex who wouldn't hurt a fly? Alex who they had looked after, who they had had such hopes for? Alex who should have lived the peaceful and perfect life neither Remy nor himself would ever have? Now it was all too late. God...Alex.

"I'm ... so sorry," Remy got out and broke down crying, taking Scott's silence as a placing of blame.

"There is nothing to forgive," Scott said softy, tears in his voice as he drew his brother into a hug. They stood like that for a long while, taking comfort in each other's nearness until Scott drew gently away.

" How did this happen?" Scott wanted to know. He needed to know. He prayed it had been quick and painless but somehow he knew it hadn't been. Rage mixed with his pain and sorrow. Someone would pay for this. He swore to it.

" They beat him to death…and then hang him up on a fence," Remy admitted and winced. He had found him there, blooded and bruised almost beyond recognition. The sight would haunt his every waking hours till the day he died.

" We will make them pay for our brother's life!" Scott vowed hotly, wiping away tears and Remy nodded agreement. They would pay. They would make them regret they had ever taken this war to Alex's grave.

" Will you come back with me? We need you," Remy asked softly, though he was pretty sure he would. He could see the agony and the rage and need for revenge in Scott's face. In the last few minutes Scott had seemed to age at least 20 years before Remy's eyes and he wondered if he had too after the full reality of Alex's death had hit him.

" Of course I will. And whatever deal you have with Magneto…finish it with his people…" Scott said grimly. " We are going to war."

" What about you? We will be wanted men for sure after this; from all sides save our own," Remy warned.

" We have all done something that someone wants to kill us for. You and I…that is the life we have led and we still lead. Alex was pure and young; he was our hope...now I see none. No, we can run from what we are but it'll always find us. Live strong and die young. Someone will get us one day; the cops or an enemy…either way, we have always lived on borrowed time," Scott admitted and suddenly sounded sad...old and tired. Life had had few rays of sunlight and warmth for him but the few precious moments he had had, he had had with his brothers. That alone was reason enough for him to avenge one of them's brutal death.

" Don't worry, mon frère [French for 'my brother']. We WILL win this war," Remy said with a confidence he didn't feel. " We owe it to Alex," he finished softly.

" Yes," Scott agreed and tears glimmered in the corner of his eyes, threatening to fall again. " We owe it to Alex."

The two brothers walked towards Remy's silver Jaguar and drove away, back towards New Orleans and their destiny. Scott didn't look back.

They had a war to fight and a brother to avenge. Scott was sure they wouldn't find peace on the path they had chosen but maybe they could find peace in each other on their way. All they had left now was each other and they would stay together, fight together...and in the end die together...as brothers of blood, heart and arms do.

The End


End file.
